It was inevitable, really, if you think about it. For years, Microsoft has been the center of antitrust and monopoly conversation around the world. People complain that their operating systems are too widespread, software is too tied in with Windows, documents made in Office need to be opened in Office, you name it, someone has complained about it. Now, it’s Google’s turn. Their recent announcement that they’ll purchase ad giant DoubleClick for $3.1 billion bucks has execs and lawyers at Microsoft up in arms. Their claim is that by purchasing DoubleClick, Google will now hold the key to important information about search AND about advertising – which will put them in a very positive (too positive?) position to corner the online advertising market. DoubleClick’s ad network would compliment their already existing AdWords / AdSense network which brings together advertisers and publishers for all types of websites, but the addition of DoubleClick would launch Google (in my opinion) into the “next level” of websites, meaning ad exposure on slightly larger and more “important” websites such as Ford and Vegas.com.
My take on all of this? Who cares. Google has the bucks to buy all of these companies. It happens in corporate America every day. The only reason that Microsoft is balking is because they are looking for someone else to point the finger at for a change. As long as Google doesn’t change DoubleClick to practice deceitful tactics in advertising based on back-end search analytics, I could care less. Sometimes people spend the most energy on the least important things in life. Honestly, if they’d save the money they’re paying their attorneys and use it towards something useful, the world might be a better place. It never ceases to amaze me how the big boys can never seem to stop fighting. Meanwhile, I just continue on my day to day business and have fun. Moral of the story: Sometimes is may just pay to be a little fish. Although at the moment it probably pays a little better to own GOOG stock.