Senator wants investigation of AdMob deal
updated 05:50 pm EDT, Tue April 6, 2010
Kohl says Google AdMob deal may be ad monopoly
US Senator Herb Kohl on Tuesday sent a letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz urging an investigation into Google's buyout of AdMob. The official's notice warned that Google's dominance of both ads and search on the desktop, along with AdMob's control of the mobile space, could create "undue market dominance" for ads either in search or within apps. Kohl stopped short of calling for a halt to the deal but wanted a review.
The concerns may already be receiving official if secretive support, as leaks have alluded to questioning of other tech firms to gauge opposition in a prelude to a formal investigation.
Most critics following the deal believe Google acquired AdMob in reaction to learning of a possible Apple buyout, which itself would have been made in retaliation for perceived threats from Android. Apple recently bought Quattro Wireless to counter the AdMob deal and may be implementing its own ad system on iPhones in the near future.
