U.K. Competition Watchdog Seeks Feedback on Updated Google Search Choice Requirement

By Edith Hancock

The U.K.'s Competition regulator said it is seeking feedback on tweaks to a user choice requirement it may impose on Alphabet's Google under the country's digital competition rulebook.

The Competition and Markets Authority said Wednesday that it set an Oct. 9 deadline to hear from interested parties.

Under the plans, the CMA said that Google would be obliged to give its Android operating system and Chrome browser customers a choice of search services when they use their smartphone or browser for the first time, and then show users a prompt each year to choose their default provider. The watchdog also suggested that artificial intelligence assistants should be included where relevant, and that search providers featuring on any choice screens should fairly attribute content from publishers.

The CMA said the proposal reflects the changing ways that people search for information online, such as using AI services like ChatGPT.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Write to Edith Hancock at edith.hancock@wsj.com