Google's founder steps up the rhetoric against Microsoft + Yahoo

By Scott M. Fulton, III, BetaNews

February 22, 2008, 2:32 PM

The possible creation of a large, controlling entity on the Internet capable of driving traffic through specific routes, is "unnerving" to the founder of the Web's principal destination.

A casual statement to reporters yesterday by Google founder Sergey Brin has many wondering whether his company is preparing itself for legal combat against a possible Microsoft + Yahoo combination, should Microsoft's plan to sway Yahoo shareholders' opinion against that of its board of directors gain traction.

The Associated Press cites Brin as stating yesterday during a press event, "The Internet has evolved from open standards, having a diversity of companies. And when you start to have companies that control the operating system, control the browsers, they really tie up the top Web sites, and can be used to manipulate stuff in various ways. I think that's unnerving."

BetaNews confirmed the AP's citation of Brin's comment yesterday with Google's press office, which also stated the context in which the AP recited the comment -- the Microsoft bid for Yahoo -- was also accurate.

Two days after the Microsoft bid earlier this month, Google chief counsel David Drummond made his company's official views on the subject clear. "Could the acquisition of Yahoo allow Microsoft -- despite its legacy of serious legal and regulatory offenses -- to extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the Internet?" Drummond asked rhetorically. "In addition, Microsoft plus Yahoo equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web e-mail accounts. And between them, the two companies operate the two most heavily trafficked portals on the Internet. Could a combination of the two take advantage of a PC software monopoly to unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' e-mail, IM, and Web-based services? Policymakers around the world need to ask these questions -- and consumers deserve satisfying answers."

Brin made his comment on the same day media analysis firm comScore reported that Google continues to supply about 58.5% of US-based Web searches, with over 6.1 billion queries.