First, the CMA does not explicitly require Google to split its crawler into two; instead, it simply calls on the search giant to create a system that provides publishers with more choice, transparency, and attribution. This could lead to a decoupling of the crawler functions, but it does not mandate it.
Second, the CMA governs how Google must behave in the U.K., but those regulations do not necessarily apply in other jurisdictions, like the U.S. or European Union.
Historically, Google has often abided by the standards set by U.K. regulators; it pledged to do so with the Privacy Sandbox developments, as well as with cookie depreciation findings. But it is not legally required to do so, meaning a CMA ruling does not necessarily compel Google to change its behavior in the U.S.
Still, the proposals are significant. Whatever system Google adopts will have a wide-ranging impact, affecting every website on the internet. It also marks a defining symbolic turn, as it marks the first regulatory ruling to affect Google’s AI business.
