US justice dept says Google saw ad startup AdMeld as threat and bought it

Google bought advertising technology provider AdMeld in 2011 because the search giant saw the startup as a “threat” to its online display ad strategy, antitrust enforcers sought to show at trial Monday.

The purchase of the company was portrayed by the Justice Department in its monopolisation trial against the Alphabet Inc. unit as an example of so-called killer acquisitions. The government alleges that Google bought up nascent rivals, starting with DoubleClick in 2008 and followed by AdMeld and Invite Media, to build up a dominant position and stifle competition for its online ad tools.