TECH - Google's Ad Expansion Met With Resistance From Expedia And IAC Chair: 'I'm On The Edge Of Revolt Now' | Benzinga
Barry Diller, the chair of IAC Inc. (NASDAQ:IAC) and Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE), previously voiced his dissatisfaction with Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google’s advertising approach, hinting at an impending “revolt.”
What Happened: Diller addressed an email to Google’s high-ranking officials on Dec. 12, 2019, criticizing the search engine giant’s decision to augment the ad count on its results page. At the time, he argued that such a move adversely impacts companies like Expedia and IAC, which depend on equitable online visibility, reported Bloomberg.
"I must say I'm on the edge of revolt now that Google's actions are so punitive, not just for Expedia but also for IAC and all the players that depend upon something of a level playing field," Diller wrote.
The email, forwarded to Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler, revealed that Diller’s companies spend nearly “6.5 billion dollars a year in media, the majority directed towards Google.” This email was later passed on to Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai.