U.S. Department of Justice investigating Yahoo-Bing deal

The U.S. Department of Justice is deepening their investigation into the Yahoo!-Bing deal. They’ve asked both Microsoft and Yahoo! for more information about their search engine deal. In July, the two companies announced a deal that would have Microsoft’s Bing power Yahoo’s search with a split of the ad revenue. Both said the DOJ’s request wasn’t unexpected and they remain confident that the deal would be approved.

“We confidently believe the information we’ll provide will confirm that the deal is not only good for Yahoo and Microsoft, but also good for advertisers, publishers, and, ultimately, consumers,” said Yahoo! spokesman Adam Grossberg.

The investigation is mandated by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which says that mergers and business deals that meet certain requirements must be reviewed by the government. Once the required paperwork is filed it usually takes 30 days for approval unless further information is requested.

The deal may also require approval by the European Commission, but Microsoft isn’t yet certain of what needs to happen. The Commission is currently investigating the Oracle-Sun deal.

Read [PCWorld]