Former FTC Commissioner: Questioning Google's Deal with ITA

Over the weekend, former FTC Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour authored a column on The Huffington Post that raises some important questions about Google’s proposed takeover of ITA Software and the potential impact on consumers. Jones Harbour notes:

“The ITA acquisition would allow Google to collect more user data, command higher advertising rates and extract a greater share of online travel searches and search advertising. This deal would allow Google to dictate who gets a license to ITA’s critical technology and strengthen Google’s ability to steer search traffic in online travel. Allowing Google to acquire ITA would enable it to dominate both the front-end (search) and back-end (search advertising) of the online travel marketplace.”

She closes by saying: “I’m no longer a regulator who can review this proposed transaction, but the world is certainly watching those who are. The government must act now to protect consumers, stop search deception and promote fair competition online.” Read the piece in its entirety here.