Closed consultation

Google’s general search services: proposed user choice conduct requirement

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 23 September 2026
• Last updated: 30 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 30 October 2026

     Further responses published.

  2. 26 October 2026

     Responses published.

  3. 23 September 2026

     First published.

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Google

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Impress, Independent Media Association, Association of Online Publishers, Independent Publishers Alliance, and Independent Community News Network (joint response)

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Movement for an Open Web

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Movement for an Open Web (annex)

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News Media Association

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OpenAI

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Platform Leaders

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Professional Publishers Association

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ProRata AI

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Samsung

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Shaping Competition in the Digital Age

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Trainline

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Which?

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Summary

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) invited comments on updated proposals for a user choice conduct requirement in relation to Google’s general search services.

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
10am on 23 September 2026 to 5pm on 9 October 2026

Consultation description

In October 2025, the CMA designated Google as having strategic market status in the provision of general search and search advertising (together, general search services).

On 28 January 2026, we consulted on a series of conduct requirements in relation to Google’s general search services. This included a proposed conduct requirement to improve the way that Google presents choices to consumers, and how they influence decision making (its ‘choice architecture’).

We considered the responses to that consultation, as well as wider trends in the market. Then we invited comments on updated proposals for a user choice conduct requirement.

Documents

Consultation: User choice conduct requirement

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User research on choice screens in search

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