Google accounts for 90 per cent of all UK web searches – the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking whether it is using that dominant position to harm competition or choice for users.

CMA, the UK’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation to find out if Google has too much power in online search.

The CMA says it wants to ensure the tech giant is “delivering good outcomes for people and businesses” and that there is a “level playing field” for rivals.

Google says it will cooperate with the investigation but has warned against what it calls “overly prescriptive digital competition rules”.

Google’s statement said: “We will continue to engage constructively with the CMA to ensure that new rules benefit all types of websites, and still allow people in the UK to benefit from helpful and cutting-edge services”.

In the US, however, their government wants it to sell its browser, Chrome, to address what a judge ruled was its illegal monopoly in search and related advertising.

The CMA says potential changes it could impose sharing data Google collects with other businesses, or giving publishers more oversight of how their data is used for its artificial intelligence (AI) features.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s CEO said “ Millions of people and businesses across the UK rely on Google’s search and advertising services. And for businesses, whether you are a rival search engine, an advertiser or a news organisation, we want to ensure there is a level playing field for all businesses, large and small, to succeed”, amid the potential for AI to transform the market”.