Oh google

Here's my knee-jerk reaction to Google's Double Click controversy:

Is Microsoft actually accusing Google of potential regulatory violations? Microsoft?!

I can't wait for them to start throwing the word monopoly around. Here are some words from the guy Google out bid:

“It raises some issues for us. It raises issues as to whether we are happy to let Google have our clients’ data and our own data which Google could use for its own purposes,”

It's own purposes? As in what exactly? What purpose would this gentleman have used the double click information? Are we now blaming Google for having too intuitive and thus popular a search engine? Are we on the verge of asking the FCC to take control of Google for national security purposes? So now perhaps Google is in a position to provide possibly the most effective advertising on the web, by virtue of knowing what an ip is searching for. So instead of crappy ads to refinance my non-existent mortgages, I'll get The North Face and REI ads for products I actually want?

I can see why these other advertisers are pissed. Google might eventually be the only game in town worth going to for advertisers. Which doesn't make them a monopoly, anymore than Subway has the monopoly on healthy fast food. A reasonable choice exists, which couldn't really be said for Microsoft in 1997 when they made a business deal with Apple and the only other OS option was Linux, fledgling and of use to no one except programmers. I search Google for free, I have final say on what I choose to purchase. Now, Google might be in violation of trademarks, I don't know, I'm neither a lawyer nor an employee at the FTC, but I don't see much in the way of FTC or FCC regulatory action anytime soon.