In a kind of parallel but interesting variation on the complaints filed in Europe against Google, now being investigated by the European Commission in a preliminary anti-trust inquiry, one of the European complainants Foundem has filed a brief with the US FCC concerning net neutrality. The complaints in Europe, broadly speaking, argue that Google has […]
As both the Wall Street Journal and Telegraph UK are reporting, the EU has received complaints into Google’s competitive practices and potential abuse of its dominant market position in Europe. These come from some private companies, which we discussed in part before. One of those companies, the shopping engine Ciao, was acquired by Microsoft in […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Geo-Targeting For Local Placement: Just How Narrow Is OK? Advertising exists to help merchants sell products and services to people who need those same products and services. Bringing the merchant together […]
Yahoo and Microsoft announced they have clearance to implement their proposed search deal where Microsoft will power Yahoo Search and search ads. Today they received “unrestricted” clearance from both the U.S. Department of Justice (see here) and the European Commission to proceed. And proceed they will. Yahoo said the implementation will begin in the next […]
Europe has generally emerged as a much more forceful player in anti-trust law than regulators in the US (despite their tough rhetoric). Some people believe, in fact, that in Microsoft’s case Europe has treated the company with a very heavy hand and turned it into the equivalent of a cash machine, imposing billions in fines. […]
In the battle between search engines and some mainstream news publishers, ACAP has been lurking for several years. ACAP — the Automated Content Access Protocol — has constantly been positioned by some news executives as a cornerstone to reestablishing the control they feel has been lost over their content. However, the reality is that publishers […]
According to AllThingsD the MicroHoo search deal is nearing completion and “definitive agreement” status. Speculation that the deal was in trouble started happening when the two companies failed to meet their self-imposed October 27 deadline to finalize the complex agreement. However it appears the circumstances were just as reported in the parties’ 8-K filing with […]
There’s a report from Reuters this morning that Microsoft and Yahoo are considering expanding the scope of their search deal “outside the United States”: Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Thursday the company could look to extend its search engine partnership with Yahoo outside the United States, if it gets regulatory approval. Wasn’t that […]
As the Wall Street Journal reports, and as we’ve written about before, the Obama Administration is getting ready to be much tougher than its predecessor in the anti-trust realm. The terrible irony is that a large number of tech executives and workers at Silicon Valley companies supported the Obama candidacy and now it may impact […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
Over the past couple of years Microsoft and Google have become increasingly intense (maybe even bitter) rivals. Most recently the two companies used Yahoo as something of a pawn their game. It may be somewhat unfair to all involved to characterize Yahoo as a “pawn.” But Microsoft tried to buy Yahoo primarily as a way […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
Responding to European demands that the major search engines cut the length of time they store records of web searches, Microsoft said on Monday it would only store that data for six months as long as Google and Yahoo follow suit. The New York Times reports, however, that neither Google nor Yahoo are ready to […]
From the “How Not To Promote Yourself” file: Google is advertising its Google Maps service on the New York subway system with a few well-placed ads that give directions between points of interest in the city. Only the directions they’re giving aren’t always right. As AdAge points out, one ad tries to help people find […]
Last week the Association of National Advertisers sent a letter on behalf of its 400 member companies to the US Justice Department (DOJ) asking the government to block the pending Google-Yahoo search advertising deal. Then there were reports that the DOJ had hired attorney Sandy Litvack, its chief antitrust attorney under former US President Jimmy […]
This past weekend a cyclone hit Myanmar (formerly Burma), killing at least 15,000 with many more missing. It’s a massive tragedy. Now data on the cyclone and its path, from the UN Institute for Training and Research Operational Satellite Applications Programme, are available as a layer in Google Earth. But there are other maps and […]
If you’re getting tired of the relentless back and forth about whether Yahoo has any more options to avoid a Microsoft takeover, so are we. And I would imagine so are Yahoo and Microsoft employees. With News Corp. publicly saying it won’t bid against Microsoft and AOL seemingly fading as a merger/partner prospect for Yahoo, […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land:
Today in Search Biz: Those Linux-based "Google PCs" didn’t sell like hotcakes, says Walmart. Yahoo gets a small paid search distribution deal with LiveDeal. The fight for IAC continues, DoubleClick may see layoffs after Google takes over, and Yahoo’s old CEO might be partnering with a Steven Spielberg-backed network for those who have had paranormal […]
The European Commission has approved the Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick, valued at $3.1 billion. The EU started their investigation in November 2007. The commission found that the “transaction would be unlikely to have harmful effects on consumers, either in ad serving or in intermediation in online advertising markets.”
Now back to news of that other acquisition that was dominating headlines and speculation until last Friday: Google-DoubleClick. DowJones newswires reports that “the European Union’s antitrust regulator has prepared a draft ‘statement of objections’ to Google Inc.’s planned $3.1 billion takeover of DoubleClick.” This does not mean that the EU will block the deal. However, […]
Despite the fact that regulators are supposed to scrutinize the potential anti-competitive dimensions of the pending acquisition of DoubleClick by Google, privacy has sneaked into the debate as a major issue on both sides of the Atlantic. It almost threatens to overshadow the antitrust considerations, which are the heart and purpose of the regulatory review […]
The relevant issues swirling around the pending acquisition of DoubleClick by Google are little understood by the public, pundits, and even, it would seem, by Congress and the regulators charged with approving or disapproving the deal. Danny has written at length about the competitive implications of the deal. But privacy concerns have gotten mixed up […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
EU to probe Google/DoubleClick plan from Reuters reports the European Commission has decided to conduct a four-month review of the Google/DoubleClick deal. European Union said “the Commission’s initial market investigation indicated that the proposed merger would raise competition concerns in the markets for intermediation and ad serving in online advertising.” Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, said […]
Australia regulator clears Google-DoubleClick deal from Reuters reports the Australian competition regulator will allow the Google acquisition of DoubleClick. The commission said on Tuesday that Google and DoubleClick were not close competitors in the ad serving space. Now Google has to hear decisions from Europe and America.
Google In ‘Good Shape’ Awaiting OK On DoubleClick Buy – CEO from SmartMoney reports that Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, is very confident the DoubleClick acquisition will be approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Schmidt said at Google Analyst Day that Google is in “good shape” for the deal to be approved. He added: It […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
Just as U.S. Congressional hearings on the intended acquisition of DoubleClick are about to begin, a parallel process is potentiality starting in Europe. Reuters reports that Google filed on Friday with the European Commission for approval of its intended $3.1 billion deal.
In response to an EU letter over data retention, Google has announced that it will now anonymize server log data after 18 months, rather than the previous maximum time it had announced of 24 months. It is also reconsidering how long its cookies last. It’s nice to see Google make such a fast, responsive move, […]