ACCC clears Google’s $3bn acquisition of DoubleClick
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not intervene in Google’s planned US$3.1bn acquisition of ad serving business DoubleClick.
ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said: “The ACCC carefully considered the likely effects of the proposed transaction on the Australian online advertising industry.
"A key focus of the ACCC's investigation was whether the combination of Google's network of website publishers and DoubleClick's ad serving capabilities would enable the merged entity to increase the cost of ad serving to website publishers and advertisers.
"In reaching its decision, the ACCC noted that Google and DoubleClick are not close competitors in the provision of ad serving. In addition, the ACCC also took into account the presence of other competitors in this market that would be likely to constrain the merged entity post-merger.”
He added: "In this context, the ACCC considered that the merger was unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in an Australian market."
Google is still facing legal action by the ACCC over alleged sponsored advertising links the consumer watchdog claims are misleading.
In July, the ACCC said it was taking action against Trading Post and Google, alleging misleading and deceptive conduct in relation to sponsored links that appeared on Google’s Australian website.
It is claimed Google contravened sections of the 1974 Trade Practices Act in 2005 when the business names “Kloster Ford” and “Charlestown Toyota” appeared in the title of Google sponsored links to Trading Post’s website. Both Kloster Ford and Charlestown Toyota are car dealerships based in Newcastle that compete against Trading Post in car sales.
