Opposition To DoubleClick Deal Oddly Timed

The chorus of calls for antitrust review of Google's $3.1 billion purchase of advertising network operator DoubleClick comes at a very early time in the process.

Opposition To DoubleClick Deal Oddly Timed

Microsoft, AT&T, and Time Warner have all voiced opposition to to such claims. But to Dale Hershey, an antitrust attorney with

How the Google purchase of DoubleClick affects market power in online advertising will be the concern for regulators who could decide to look into the acquisition. Hershey said it would be within 30 days of the filing of intent to purchase that either the FTC or Department of Justice could ask for more information.

While basic antitrust law is solidly established, the online ad market is relatively new. We asked which agency, FTC or DOJ, would be more likely to look into the deal. Hershey said that FTC probably has more tech expertise in-house by virtue of their work, but DOJ's experience with Microsoft and its antitrust issues make it more likely to be the agency that could pursue an inquiry.

A first round of review would take place, with the antitrust regulators looking at topics like 'who uses the market' and 'what effect could there be on prices'. Advertising customers could be consulted with for their opinion of the potential economic impact of the deal.

With online ads being a new market, the first request for information may not be enough for regulators who need to understand the issue better. A second request for information could take place. Hershey said that in other situations, the second request has been a deal-breaker.

Google could argue that competitive angles will exist even after their purchase. Ben Crain, VP of Media for