Google’s plans to acquire DoubleClick faces additional hurdles as new concerns are raised by European consumer rights group BEUC,.

BEUC, which represents 40 consumer rights groups from 14 countries, has made a formal complaint to the European Commission raising concerns that the deal “may have a negative impact on the selection of online content available to consumers and on privacy�.

Search engine giant Google revealed its plans to acquire the online advertising group DoubleClick for £1.56 billion earlier this year, but should competition commissioner Neelie Kroes find Google in breach of European regulations then Google could be forced either to abandon the deal or sell of certain parts of its business.

The latest complaint to the European Commission follows objections already made by Google’s rivals AT&T and Microsoft to the US Federal Trade Commission, who also fear the deal will lead to Google monopolising the market.

Google has previously defended the deal with Google UK managing director saying it would not alter the ad serving landscape.

Microsoft was among a number of companies also eyeing up DoubleClick, before the deal with Google was secured.

Source:? mad.co.uk

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