Google deal raises privacy concerns

18th December 2007

Google's takeover of online advertisement firm DoubleClick has sparked concerns on the power the US company would have over the market.

As the world's largest internet search engine, experts fear the acquisition would bring large amounts of internet advertising and personal information under Google's control, reports the Associated Press.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is to scrutinise the $3.1 billion deal (£1.5 billion) deal and examine privacy concerns, the article notes.

At the same time the European commission will reportedly scrutinise the impact Google's takeover of DoubleClick would have on the internet advertisement market.

Set to be completed by April 2008, debates on the ownership of personal data and what authorities can an cannot do are issues worthy of debate, indicated Sophie in 't Veld, a member of the European parliament, told the news provider.

"There are lots of companies collecting personal data; we volunteer our personal data to get services," she noted.

Online rights groups the Electronic Privacy Information Centre and the Centre for Digital Democracy have both filed a motion requesting Deborah Platt Majoras to be omitted from the merger review given that her lawyer husband Jones Day is representing DoubleClick before the European commission.