Kohl seeks Google/AdMob scrutiny

Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) is urging the Federal Trade Commission to give "close scrutiny" to Google's planned acquisition of mobile advertising leader AdMob.

"This acquisition, if consummated, would combine Google, with a dominant share of Internet search and Internet search advertising ... with AdMob, the leading provider of advertising to mobile devices commonly known as 'smart phones' (such as the Apple iPhone)," wrote Sen Kohl. In his letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Sen Kohl noted the explosive growth of mobile advertising as a market and added that it was important "to be wary of any transaction that would create undue market dominance of search or application-based advertising on mobile devices." Sen Kohl noted, however, that he had not reached a conclusion on whether the FTC should challenge the transaction.