Interesting news coming out of Washington D.C. today around the addition of Google advertisements on Yahoo search result pages. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) (pictured) and Judiciary Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) made a joint statement saying that the deal “further underscore[s] the need for a hearing on the state of competition on the Internet and online advertising.”
In February, the House Judiciary Committee announced plans to hold a hearing on the State of Competition on the Internet. Yesterday’s announcement of a two-week trial venture between Yahoo! and Google, as well as reports of a possible Yahoo!/AOL merger, further underscore the need for a hearing on the state of competition on the Internet and online advertising. The Judiciary Committee’s Task Force on Competition Policy and Antitrust Laws will continue to explore these issues.
Microsoft must be happy to see this, which underscores the fact that the government won’t sit on the sidelines as the Internet giants sort out who gets Yahoo’s search assets. It’s time for everyone to open their checkbooks and call their lobbyists. Congress wants a piece of Yahoo, too.
I think that Google ads on Yahoo would be one of the worst things ever to happen to the internet. Google is a nasty monopoly all on their own. GooHoo would be a nightmare.
I love it when the government wants to set-up discussions about an industry they likely know nothing about in order to justify their jobs (ei: they are doing something).
Jon
http://woodmarvels.com – Create Unique Memories!
Congress needs to get over itself. I would be far more concerned about the Microsoft acquiring Yahoo. What a disaster for consumers that would be.
I think they should set up a committee to talk about Iraq sometime soon as well. It would be good to clear that issue up before jumping into this Yahoo mess.
We spend a lot of time discussing what’s in the best interest of the web, but at the end of the day it’s what’s in the best interest of Yahoo! that will define the result. People leave Yahoo! to go to Google (and not Microsoft) because companies like Google and Facebook are moving in the right direction in the internet game (despite the qualms). MS is not.
I was hoping for Yahoogle…but GooHoo works too.
Wendy – “GooHoo” I love it !
Michael – I agree, the war on Iraq has a huge affect here with Australians as well.
The House Judiciary Committee would having nothing to do with looking Iraq. That would either be the Armed Services Committee or the Foreign Affairs committee.
However, I do agree that they have a lot more important things to do than deal with Yahoo or steroid use in professional sports.
Carl – thank you for that important clarification. I need to spend more time understanding the areas of responsibility of our various congressional subcommittees so I don’t make misstatements like that in the future.
“areas of responsibility”….
good one
GWB will fix this
I just think it’s hilarious that “get over yourself” , the official hackneyed refrain of TechCrunch comments, has now been directed at the United States Congress in these very same comments.
Mmm…
Japan also can’t be avoided.
The movement width has too large, too speedy
If you’re worrying about lobbyists and Congressional hearings, you’re not worrying about competing and getting better. This is a loser for all of us. And it doesn’t help that Congress is maybe the least informed group in the world to hazard a guess on what to do, and it’s guaranteed whatever natural course events would take, they will make it worse.
I’ve got a hint for them on what to work on, though: something else. Or better yet: nothing at all. Dumbasses.
Quick question @Carl
In what way would a Microsoft acquisition be “a disaster for consumers”?
There are a million alternatives to all three. That they are not popular alternatives or better alternatives may be a clue that nobody has any real ‘monopoly’ power. The top dog continues to compete, continues to innovate, and continues to be the best. Or it may be a clue that people are dumb enough to believe that Congress is the proper forum to pick marketplace winners and losers.
How about Yaggle?
I demand a Hot Coffee congressional subcommittee!!
CJ, keep it in your pants, foo’!
… if we had a president with ovaries things like this wouldn’t happen.
The US Capitalism is really fun watch. Politicians, Judicial, everybody can get involve with an issue…. sometimes I don’t know if I’m watching a movie or what :p
It’s a pity tho that the rest of the world are ignored with this “who gets Yahoo” stories and decisions, when the Internet involves every living Internet soul (not just the US).
Anyway, I’ll side with Yahoo-Google or Yahoo-AOL or Yahoo-AOL-Google. Never to Yahoo-Microsoft.
hehehehe….
Mike
Re: Somebody Greased The Lobbyists.
This could be coming from Microsoft, but it’s also likely one of the key somebody’s was probably AT&T. I saw their footprints at the beginning of the attack on Google-Double Click, with some of their usual stooges leading the way. I hear (unconfirmed) that AT&T was doing this to make Google pay a price for fighting for the open Internet.
Conyers is good on many things, and has opposed the telcos on some major issues. But one of AT&T’s key proxies on Google-DoubleClick isChicago Congressman Bobby Rush. The one time Black Panther a few years ago accepted a remarkable $1M donation to build the “Bobby L. Rush Center for Community Technology.” Rush was the only democrat to co-sponsor the last big pro-telco bill, etc.
Despite no visible previous support for privacy, Rush led the early attacks on Google-DoubleClick and has been the Congressional point man. Scott Cleland, another beneficiary of AT&T’s largesse, has spent an enormous amount of time on the Google attack. Some of the Washington astroturfers also jumped in.
A very small part of the story that should be told of how AT&T and Verizon are so powerful in government.
db
All I can say is that Google acquiring Yahoo’s assets would probably not be good for search in general. Anytime one company can dictate the terms of doing business there are major issues.
I don’t think Congress should do too much interfering, but I do think light needs to be shined on this deal. Google is coming awful close to having too much influence. I love Google and think they’re great, but as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Carl, Michael,
We’re in the mess in Iraq because of the US dependency on oil. If we can’t put Gas in our Tanks, the terrorists will win (or so Washington believes)
1. Google has stated that their goal is to have Google Revenues equal to 10% global GDP…hmmm….
2. Our military systems increasingly rely on a network of information.
3. The Google tried to buy radio spectrum to own this network…The Google is attempting to launch a network of hot air balloons to own this network..etc
4. The 2 Google boys are now in the top 5 or so richest people in the world…they are Russian….they control 2/3rds of the Google….hmmmm…..
What happens when we try to go to war next time…and the Russians, er I mean Sergy… control the communications network…..?
C’mon Mike….we know you can put 2 and 2 together and get 4….
Can’t you put 2 (#1) and 2 (#2) and 2 (#3) and 2 (#4) together and get 8?
Cory,
“I love Google and think they’re great……
but as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
I have some great swamp land…er, mean ‘Waterfront’ property in Florida I’d love to sell you
What are you smoking? Who do you work for?
@Michael
From your article and your comments earlier, it seems that you are against congressional hearing on the “state of competition” on the Internet.
I disagree, this is a VERY important part of our economy and where new innovations will drive the economy as we move more toward a much more web environment (webbased phones, tv, smart phones..etc). And we all know this business starts with the search market.
I think Google should be looked into more since they are buying up all sorts of startups that play important role in the emerging market. The internet is becoming more like the big telecommunications/railroad companies.
FYI, there is subcommittee devoted to this type of investigations…Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property
I wonder if Yahoo is just trying to gain credibility by partnering with Google so that MS will go away… But if Google did acquire Yahoo, I would wonder what the benefit would be to Google as they already have mastered the space. I’m left wondering…
Hearing…
Explore…
Yeah, that sounds about right. Government won’t sit on the sidelines eh Michael? Sorry – but,
Hearing, explore, doesn’t mean they’ll DO anything, as per normal.
Google Yahoo Merger
If you would like to learn more about the Google Yahoo Merger, watch this video from Industry expert Dan Savage. Mr. Savage discusses how Google destroyed his business and the impact that a Google Yahoo Merger could have.