Google-DoubleClick: Tough sell in EU

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"It's quite possible that the FTC will decide whether to challenge the deal before (the Commission's deadline of) April 2," Vinje said. But "the Commission will do what it believes European antitrust law to require, whether the FTC challenges the deal or not."

The FTC and the European Commission declined to comment. DoubleClick declined to comment on whether it has complied with the FTC's request for more information. Meanwhile, Australian and Brazilian regulators have approved the deal.

In a previous statement, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the company will continue to work with the Commission to demonstrate how its DoubleClick acquisition could benefit publishers, advertisers, and consumers. The company also noted it remains "confident" the FTC will determine the merger will also benefit a similar set of users.

U.S. senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), however, sent a letter (PDF) on Monday to the FTC, citing concerns that the deal would harm competition. The senators cited the dominance Google and DoubleClick have in their respective areas of the advertising market.

The European Commission, as it proceeds in evaluating the Google-DoubleClick deal, may have concerns with whether challenging the merger will ultimately be overturned by the European Court of First Instance, which serves as an appeals court.

The court has overturned the Commission before on its merger decisions. Previously, the Commission gave the green light to the Sony and BMG merger, only to have third parties appeal the deal to the Court of First Instance and have it overturned, said David Anderson, a partner in the Brussels office of law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner.

"The Commission is seeking to make its (merger) clearances, as well as its prohibitions, as appeal-proof as possible," Anderson said.

[gurfrip]

Why it will not be approved - ever.

Dear Steve Forbes:<br /> <br />I love the 'do no evil' at the end of Brin &#38; Pages world richest men bio. Since my submission of You Tube to these two juvenile delinquents who profess on yahoo finance to be doctorates (but are dropouts) and run Google Analytics which apears to do DATA MINING - I have been a celebrity on the Terrorist Watch List.<br /> <br />This is like being sent to guantanamo bay cuba with no trial, it is the worst experience a free and good family can experiece. My 2 year long yell for *HELP, HELP* has labelled me some kind of psycho and I subsequently make the situation worse thinking the Government might one day realize a mistake - *Fat Chance*.<br /> <br />So this is all in violation of section 124 of the usa patriot act and there is NO BODY.<br /> <br />Accept one named You Tube stolen by fraud by two men named Brin and Page.<br /> <br />Who 'Do No Evil'.<br /> <br />Best regards,<br /> <br />-I think St. Augustine, Florida is Great Place to do business!<br />jimmy/JAMES - genius<br />Internet Tycoon<br /><br />James Reginald Harris, Jr., Inventor &#38; CEO<br />GURFRIP SystemZ<br />Global Utility Restructure For Relative Intelligent Process<br />Managing Principal<br />TMCG - The Monte Carlo Group<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />From: [e-mail]<br />To: [e-mail]; [e-mail]<br />Subject: Google, Inc. / DoubleClick EU<br />Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:06:58 -0500<br /><br />Dear European Union Members:<br /> <br />I am a United States and Belgian Citizen and separated spouse of a United Nations Employee who is the daughter of now deceased Nuclear Safety and Control Scientist Gerno Linden past Director of the IRSN in Paris, France.<br /> <br />Google, Inc. a United States Corporation has used it's Natural Monopoly, its banking and security relationships to severely inflict hostile damage to my family with *great and merciless force* that should never be used on an ('individual'). <br /> <br /><br />*Showing patent disregard for our privacy and safety.*<br /><br /> <br />The European Union should be aware that there are suits, including a suit against Google's Core System in the United States that present the possibility that Google, Inc. is *founded on Pirated Property.* Further that Google, Inc. is slow to settle legitimate and proven infringements that were the product of [http://Google, Inc.'s Intellectual Property Thefts|http://Google, Inc.'s Intellectual Property Thefts]. That *Google, Inc. uses it's relations and data to violate individuals privacy* and to *provide faulted and misleading information on individuals competing with Google, Inc. to US security services* in order to damage individuals who may make *legitimate legal claim.*<br /> <br />The management of Google, Inc. is wholly irresponsible in the settlement of the above matters and this *irresponsibility toward individual rights is endemic* of the United States Internet Industry as clearly displayed by Google's chief rival, Yahoo, Inc.<br /> <br />*These companies have not endured any scrutiny* by the United States Federal Trade Commission or the United States Justice Department, which Governmental Agencies have become ('The Great Enablers') of unsound, unsavory and unprincipled business practices of major non-microsoft search companies, recalling Microsoft's hostile business tactics were only changed by the EU. These new companies simply lack all reasonable guidance from an information hungry United States apparatus that is unwilling to punish any crimes or violations of Google, Inc.<br /> <br />The EU should therefore seek to *restrict all growth of Google, Inc. in the European Union* until they settle all present and legitimate claims, establish standards of Ethical Conduct and adherence to Privacy Laws. <br /> <br /><br />*Google, Inc. is cavalier about the rights and property of others.*<br /><br /> <br />*Google, Inc. is by no means a good corporate citizen* and its managing principals have sought to <br /> <br /><br />*use their present market position to bring harm and suffering to my Belgian Family.*<br /><br /> <br />We ask that the approval for merger with double-click be summarily declined in the EU.<br /> <br />We have received no Justice in the United States, they must learn from the EU.<br /> <br /><br />Google, Inc.'s EU expansion will only harm and hinder EU Citizens.<br /><br /> <br /><br />*Powered by Google - used to be - Powered by GURFRIP*<br /><br /> <br />The EU should restrict EU operations of Google, Inc.<br /> <br />Sincerely,<br /> <br /> <br />James Reginald Harris, Jr.<br />Inventor of;<br />You Tube ('unsettled dispute')<br />Gurfrip Patent ('now infringed on by iGoogle and Yahoo Widget')<br />Technical Gravity - Theory unifying quantum mechanics with relativity.<br /> <br /><br />GURFRIP is <br /><br />Global Utility Restructure for Relative Intelligent Process

[aintnorainbowdorothy]

Google-Doubleclick

I really don't know about the person above, how he was put on the 'terrorist' list, nor any of his particulars. I do know that the Google-Doubleclick merger should not be allowed to go forward. Microsoft, since it was deemed a monoply, was stomped on by the jack-booted EU. That means they left out several things that should have been included in various editions of Vista sold in the EU. I don't know what, nor care, happened in Great Britain, the only major country in Europe not to join that goofy group. Google, with the addition of Doubleclick, would be no different. The combination could easily put Ask.com out of business. After all, directing advertisers away from that search engine would be easy with the combination. Microsoft has too much money to be screwed with easily, and could probably get injunction after injunction to put the merger on hold, even if only temporarily. Anti-trust law in the US is a murky area. Google-Double Click might win, but think of the publicity. As for 'Do No Evil', does anyone out there really believe that? I know I don't.

[digitalknow]

Think Again

Let?s clear up the details:<br /><br />Microsoft recently acquired one of DoubleClick's largest competitors :: AQuantive (AQNT). I find it interesting that you would be concerned about Microsoft's ability to compete in the market with a DoubleClick/Google merger. Without such a merger, guess who wins again? AQuantive not only serves ads but also holds Avenue A Razor fish - a leading online advertising agency. With Microsoft controlling a major ad agency, how will online strategy change for those non Microsoft clients? How can you own an agency that promotes brands other than yours without giving preferential treatment to your corporate brand? The most talented at Razor Fish are allocated to MSFT brands. I would move my ad dollars to an Ogilvy or a small boutique if I were Disney or Mercedes.<br />Also, don?t forget that AQNT also owns DRIVE PM. Search. You have a media property (Microsoft) who purchased an ad server (AQNT ? ATLAS), an ad agency (RAZOR FISH) and a search tool (DRIVE PM). <br /><br />How can you compare this to DCLK/GOOGLE? Google yes is a Microsoft. But what is a DoubleClick? They only have one of the three components of AQNT ? ad serving (DART IS A COMPETITOR TO ATLAS). How did MSFT manage to go through? Makes no sense to me?<br /><br />Microsoft recently acquired one of DoubleClick's largest competitors :: AQuantive (AQNT). I find it interesting that you would be concerned about Microsoft's ability to compete in the market with a DoubleClick/Google merger. Without such a merger, guess who wins again? AQuantive not only serves ads but also holds Avenue A Razor fish - a leading online advertising agency. With Microsoft controlling a major ad agency, how will online strategy change for those non Microsoft clients? How can you own an agency that promotes brands other than yours without giving preferential treatment to your corporate brand? The most talented at Razor Fish are allocated to AQuantive. I would move my ad dollars to an Ogilvy or a small boutique if I were Disney or Mercedes. <br /><br />With regards to Ask, they are still a tier 3 media property and last I checked, they manage to gain a good portion of media share based on advertiser's needs' to diversify. I would be more concerned about Mr. Dillers split and how ask will compete in the future....