DOJ Recalibrates Google Arrogance Algorithm
A few weeks back Google wasn’t at all deterred by regulators’ heightened scrutiny of the company’s advertising agreement with Yahoo. It had no plans to delay the deal with its struggling rival, which was to begin this month. “Time is money in our business,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt. “… While we have been talking to regulators, we don’t know what their position is. We don’t know if they think it’s a good deal or poor deal.”
How quickly things change.
In the face of mounting criticism, the two companies have delayed the deal, which would allow Yahoo (YHOO) to run some search and text ads sold by Google (GOOG). And now they are said to be in talks with the Department of Justice about concessions that could prevent the antitrust lawsuit it’s preparing to block the deal. Among them, some throwaway assurances that Yahoo would continue to compete in search ads and a cap on the number of Google ads Yahoo could use.