Internet giants Google and Yahoo have agreed to put the implementation of their joint advertising deal on hold until antitrust lawyers at the US Department of Justice have fully reviewed the agreement.
Internet giants Google and Yahoo have agreed to put the implementation of their joint advertising deal on hold until antitrust lawyers at the US Department of Justice have fully reviewed the agreement. EPA/DANIEL DEME
The companies made the announcement on Friday, but a source close to the negotiations said that the delay will last no longer than a month.
"The companies have agreed to a brief delay in implementing this agreement to continue our ongoing discussions with the Department of Justice," Google said in a statement.
"We have had discussions with regulators and look forward to responding to their questions about this agreement," Yahoo said.
These comments, along with the nature of the delay, once again bring into the question whether this deal will ever gain the legal go ahead. Google and Yahoo dominate the advertising space on the internet, with Google currently owning 63% of the advertising market share and Yahoo just under 20%. The next closest is Microsoft, at 8%, and a joining of Google and Yahoo could have serious monopolistic connotations if allowed to go through.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story