Google’s Latest Power Play: A Marker of Monopoly

In a move that’s being hailed as a victory for South African businesses, Google has introduced a label that identifies local companies in organic search results. But is this just a clever ploy to maintain its stranglehold on the search market?

The "ZA South African" marker, which has been applied to the search results of several local e-commerce websites, is part of Google’s efforts to comply with the Competition Commission’s remedial actions. But will it actually help smaller businesses compete with the tech giant’s dominance?

According to the Competition Commission’s report, Google’s search engine is a de facto monopoly, accounting for over 90% of all general search across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. And with its strong incentives to engage in self-preferencing behavior, it’s no wonder that smaller businesses struggle to get noticed.

But Google is quick to point out that its new marker is all about giving South African businesses a leg up. "We are introducing new local filter optionality for South African travel and shopping platforms on our search page and dedicated local curation for apps published on the Play store by South African developers," a Google spokesman said.

But will this really make a difference? Or is it just a token gesture to appease the Competition Commission while Google continues to maintain its grip on the market?

The remedial actions recommended by the Competition Commission include introducing a new carousel to give smaller South African platforms more visibility, as well as providing advertising credits and technical training to help them compete. But will these measures be enough to level the playing field?

As the tech giant continues to wield its influence, it’s clear that the battle for online supremacy is far from over. But one thing is certain: Google’s latest move is just the latest chapter in its ongoing struggle for dominance.