EU Launches Extended Probe Of Google-DoubleClick Deal

EU LAUNCHES EXTENDED PROBE OF GOOGLE-DOUBLECLICK DEAL
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Charles Forelle charles.forelle@wsj.com]
The European Union's antitrust regulator opened a full-scale review of Google Inc.'s proposed $3.1 billion purchase of online-advertising-services company DoubleClick Inc., citing concerns the search titan would amass too much control over the market for online ad sales. Google's deal for DoubleClick has raised hackles on both sides of the Atlantic and is forcing regulators to wrestle with how to define and approach the fast-changing market for online advertising. The EU said its probe, which has a deadline of April 2, will examine whether Google is forestalling competition by buying DoubleClick. The company has been getting into Google's core business of brokering ad sales on the Web. The regulator will also look at whether joining Google's ad-selling network and DoubleClick's ad-serving platform would box out competitors. EU antitrust officials have said they won't look at complaints about privacy because they don't fall into their bailiwick. A separate arm of the EU is examining data-privacy issues, but it doesn't have the power to block a deal outright. Google also needs clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which hasn't ruled on the deal. The Senate Judiciary Committee has held hearings, and several House members are pushing for more congressional scrutiny.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119497532126291561.html?mod=djemTECH
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* Google acquisition of DoubleClick rejected for now
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/13/technology/webgoogle.php?WT.mc_id...

* EU probes Google-DoubleClick deal (Associated Press)
http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/13/technology/google_doubleclick.ap/index.h...

* EU plans more scrutiny of Google deal for DoubleClick
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20071114/google-eu14.art.htm

* Google Hits European Hurdle on DoubleClick Deal
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/technology/14google.html?ref=todayspap...

* EC Second Phase Investigation of Google & DoubleClick: Good for Consumers, Competition and Privacy
"At stake here is more than just the skyrocketing Google share price, the convenience of our online searches, or even the current state of online advertising competition. The online marketing system is at the core of the dramatic changes transforming global communications­from broadband PC, to mobile, eventually even to television. If we are to have a more democratic and diverse digital marketplace of ideas and commerce, there must be meaningful competition and consumer protection in the online ad sector. This means Google should be prohibited from buying DoubleClick. Or, that at least meaningful safeguards are imposed that limit Google’s ability to leverage DoubleClick’s vast treasure trove of consumer data and its business relationships with many of the world’s largest companies."
http://www.democraticmedia.org/jcblog/?p=404