Microsoft, Others Want Antitrust Investigation Into Google Deal

Microsoft Corp. and other industry behemoths reportedly are not happy that Google Inc. plans to buy DoubleClick Inc., a Web ad supplier.

Google beat out Microsoft, Yahoo! Inc. and Time Warner Inc. last Friday in bids for DoubleClick. The Web giant will pay $3.1 billion.

Microsoft – which has undergone antitrust scrutiny of its own – wants an antitrust investigation into the deal. The company tells Reuters it thinks the acquisition will consolidate too much online advertising power in one place.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that AT&T Inc. and Time Warner have joined Microsoft’s call for an investigation.

AT&T Inc. www.att.com

Google Inc. www.google.com

Microsoft Corp. www.microsoft.com

Time Warner Inc. www.timewarner.com

Yahoo! Inc. www.yahoo.com

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