The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has directed Google not only to provide site owners with a way to opt out of AI Overviews but also to give a clearer explanation of how its search engine ranks results. In addition, the CMA has instructed Google to let users transfer their search data to certain third-party services.
Greater transparency on search rankings. The CMA is requiring Google to “improve transparency and fairness in how search results are ranked” and to put these changes in place within six months. According to UK businesses that spoke to the CMA, Google’s “ranking practices are neither fair nor transparent,” and “changes are made without sufficient notice, and when these changes impact their businesses, they do not have effective ways to raise concerns.”
We do, of course, regularly report on Google search updates. Google frequently tweaks its ranking systems both to (1) increase the relevance of search results and (2) combat attempts to game or manipulate those results.
Under this new conduct requirement, the CMA says Google must:
- Set up clear, accessible processes for businesses to raise concerns about how Google ranks results and ensure those concerns are handled effectively
- Rank ‘organic’ search results using objective, non-discriminatory criteria (this includes AI Overviews but excludes sponsored results)
- Offer more transparency to businesses about how ranking works and provide advance notice of major ranking changes
Data portability. The CMA also wants Google, within three months, to “allow users to port their search data to authorized third parties such as rewards platforms or companies offering personalized offers or discount codes.” “Third-party firms are keen…”