Search Engine Journal

The Google-Yahoo search deal got a new ally from eleven California legislators who are urging the US regulators not to stop the deal from being implemented. In a letter addressed to US Attorney Michael Mukasey, the group warned that barring the deal from materializing would stiffle Internet market growth and innovation.

“We are deeply concerned that the Department of Justice may be considering a preemptive lawsuit to block Yahoo’s non-exclusive online advertising agreement with Google.”

The group also agreed to what Yahoo president Sue Decker said last Friday, saying that deal is just a contract giving Yahoo the right to show Google Adsense on Yahoo’s own network, with no obligations for Yahoo. According to the group of legislators, the deal is just another non-exclusive agreement which are standard among Internet companies.

Incidentally, the search ad deal is set to be implemented anytime this month. And it looks like the US DOJ is not yet ready with an official statement that would its stand on the matter. Would Yahoo and Google be brave enough to implement the agreement even without the official word from the US regulators? I believe so.