Experienced Monopolies Team Up On Rookie

Who would know monopolistic practices better than a reformed -- well, allegedly reformed -- monopolist?

This must be the undercurrent of the actions by Microsoft and AT&T to stop Google. That would be Microsoft, the best-known antitrust defendant of the 1990s, and AT&T, which held the same title in the 1980s. Perhaps they see a kinship in Google and wish to make it the best-known antitrust defendant of the 2000s.

Both are speaking to officials at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission about Google's planned purchase of on-line ad giant DoubleClick. The companies say the deal would restrict competition in Internet ads and media. And Microsoft whispers that Google would be in position to collect vast amounts of data about individual Web users and perhaps misuse it -- which is exactly what competitors feared about Microsoft back in the day.