What changed
Under the UK's digital markets competition regime, Google has held strategic market status in general search since October 2025. Three conduct requirements are already imposed. This one — user choice — is only out for consultation, closing 9 October 2026, decision due by year end.
In the CMA's own words, Google would be required to show "a Search Choice Screen that cannot be skipped as part of the first major update to Relevant Browsers", then "a notification that is skippable and visually limited" at least once a year — the consultation document →
New this round: AI assistants can qualify, because "the line between 'AI-based services' and other types of search service is increasingly blurred". PPC Land counts up to 12 slots — five most popular plus seven at random. Roundtable's write-up →
What this means for Indian marketers
Directly: nothing. It is a UK remedy, changes no ranking signal, and is not in force. India already did a smaller version — Google added an Android choice screen here in January 2023 after the CCI's October 2022 order.
Worth watching. Every SEO strategy quietly assumes one search engine is where the people are; if choice screens list AI assistants as Google's peers, that assumption gets tested — in the UK first. Meanwhile: know how much demand is never leaving the results page, watch what Bing delivers here, and build on fundamentals that survive a change of default.
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