Lawmaker Calls On Attorney General to Investigate Google-Yahoo

OKLAHOMA CITY (September 17, 2008) -
State Rep. Mike Thompson has sent a letter to Attorney General Drew Edmondson asking him to investigate the proposed Google-Yahoo! deal that would give Google control of over 90 percent of the search advertising market.

Thompson said Oklahoma should add its name to the growing number of organizations and states that are investigating the deal. The transaction is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice and has been the subject of hearings in both the United States Senate and House. States as diverse as California, New York, Florida, and Connecticut are currently looking at the deal because of its monopolistic implications and impact on privacy.

Last week the Association of National Advertisers, a major trade group that represents companies like Procter & Gamble and General Motors, sent a letter to the DOJ opposing the Google-Yahoo! deal.

"This deal is in direct contradiction to the competition and innovation that drive the Internet and our economy," said Thompson, R-Oklahoma City. "Google is a major corporation. Like any other major corporation, Google believes its profits are paramount. That's fine until it comes at the expense of average citizens and consumers."

Google has also been criticized for its policies regarding online consumer privacy across its many applications including Google Search, YouTube, Google StreetView and its recently released web browser "Chrome." This summer, Google lawyers presented legal arguments stating that "... complete privacy does not exist" as part of a consumer lawsuit against Google over trespassing related to its StreetView application.

"Attorney General Edmondson and the U.S. Department of Justice need to thoroughly investigate the implications of the Google-Yahoo! deal, especially its impact to online consumer privacy.

With 90 percent of the search engine market and access to all that data on online consumer behavior, Google's privacy policies would effectively become national standards. Policymakers are obligated to carefully review this deal," Thompson said.

Thompson represents Oklahoma's State House District 100, which includes portions of Oklahoma City, Bethany and Warr Acres.

-30-