A Precedent is Set: What the Google Ruling Means for the Future of UK Tech Law

A major legal precedent has been set in the UK that will define the future of technology law for years to come. The Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA) decision to designate Google with “strategic market status” is the first real-world application of the UK’s new digital rulebook, and it establishes a clear template for how the country will deal with Big Tech.
This is the inaugural use of the flagship powers within the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. By successfully applying the “strategic market status” (SMS) designation to a company of Google’s scale, the CMA has proven that the new law has teeth and that the regulator is not afraid to use them.
This case clarifies the threshold for intervention: holding over 90% of a critical digital market is now formally recognized as a “strategic position” that warrants special, proactive regulation. It also outlines the new process: designate first, then consult on remedies. This proactive model is a significant departure from older, slower competition law.
The remedies being proposed—choice screens, fair ranking rules, publisher rights—will now become the starting point for discussions in future cases. Other tech giants, especially Apple, whose mobile platform is already under investigation, will be studying this case closely. They now know what to expect if they too are designated with SMS.
This is more than just a ruling against one company. It is the moment the UK’s new, independent, post-Brexit approach to digital regulation moved from theory to practice, creating a legal and procedural roadmap that will be followed for all future confrontations with dominant tech firms.