UK orders Google to open search rankings and data transfers
What's new: Google has six months to change ranking rules and three months to let users move search data to rivals.
Britain's competition watchdog imposed new rules on Google on June 17 that require the company to use objective, non-discriminatory criteria in search rankings and provide businesses with more information on how results are ordered. The Competition and Markets Authority also required Google to let users transfer their search data to authorized third parties. The CMA said the measures are meant to curb Google's dominance in UK search, where it handles more than 90% of queries, and to give businesses clearer and more predictable terms. Google must meet the ranking requirement within six months and the data portability rule within three months. The regulator said more conduct requirements could follow this summer.