Those who complain about Google's purchase of DoubleClick make two claims. Both are flawed.
The first argument is that, since both firms have a large market share of their respective spheres, a merger would be monopolistic. The flaw is that the two companies undertake activities that don't overlap. Google places text ads mainly on its own Web sites and search-result screens. DoubleClick delivers display ads from advertisers to Web sites. It creates no ads and controls no Web sites. Even if we believe that Internet advertising is a distinct market (debatable, since it comprises only about 5% of all advertising) the combined firms will not gain any market power since they do not have any business in common.
The second argument comes from privacy advocates who have filed a brief with the FTC. They say the merger "could impact the privacy interests of 233 million Internet users in North America." The FTC's antitrust function and its consumer protection function are fundamentally different. Indeed, the more information markets have, the more competitive they are. If "privacy" advocates have their way, there would be less information and markets would not work as well.
Pablo -
ReplyDeleteDo you not think relying upon support from the infamous tobacco industry shill "Progress and Freedom" Foundation - an organisation which Google funds, along with a lot of what most Google users would see as traditional 'Big Business' like Disney, AT&T, etc - is a bit desperate?
The PFF has never sought anything other than the promotion of the interests of its corporate supporters. Really, I'm not sure how reports-for-hire from lobbyists is consistent with Google's ethical mission at all. Putting PFF policies into action would surely mean the destruction of Google (or do you have to pay more to change the tone of reports?)
The PFF opposing any type of public-interest control is about as newsworthy as a celebrity walking down a red carpet. It's hardly worth your while trumpeting it as an endorsement. Now, if the PFF had come out and supported privacy law, or indeed anything that involves a preference for users or consumers over corporate interests, that would have been worth posting about. What about it, eh?
so they have been bought off by the corporations protecting the exposure by google vids? seems this is what i am reading. if wrong tell me. otherwise will download as much as i can for now. news worthy is right like paris hilton crap. how stiffeling.
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