Two senior US lawmakers have urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to subject Google's planned purchase of online advertising firm DoubleClick to "serious scrutiny".In a letter, senators Herb Kohl and Orrin Hatch told chairman of the commission Deborah Majoras that the outcome of the merger review would have significant consequences.
They stated that industry experts believe that the deal could harm competition within the market.
Google's proposed takeover of the contextual advertising firm has caused controversy since it was first announced in April.
Last week, European Union regulators stated that they are to scrutinise the plan in a 90-day investigation after an initial market investigation indicated that the merger "would raise competition concerns".
In their letter, Mr Kohl and Mr Hatch stated: "The implications of this for the internet advertising market - and for the internet as a whole - are profound and potentially far reaching."
According to the two senators, the deal raises questions as to whether display and text advertising are interchangeable or separate markets, as well as whether, as a result of the purchase, new firms wanting to enter the market would be prevented from doing so.
They stated: "Antitrust regulators need to be wary to guard against the creation of a powerful internet conglomerate able to extend its market power in one market into adjacent markets, to the detriment of competition and consumers."
