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Google + MySpace = Nail in the Microsoft Search Coffin?

Written By
Steve Bryant
Steve Bryant
Aug 8, 2006
1 minute read
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Social networking and amateur porn powerhouse MySpace has inked a deal with the world’s most powerful voyeur, Google.

Google will pay about $900 million over three years and nine months for the privilege of serving search results and advertising to MySpace’s 100 million pedophiles runaways half-naked teenagers.

The G Poppa will also power search and ads for other Fox Interactive properties, including RottenTomatoes.com and Scout.com. MySpace search was previously powered by Yahoo.

The deal is obviously a win for Google, which is paying to keep its competitors out and banking on the continued strength of MySpace. Google will also benefit from watching how MySpace users navigate through the huge network, which may help Google’s own social networking plans. Unlike Microsoft and Yahoo, Google doesn’t have a robust social networking infrastructure.

It’s also interesting to note that MySpace did not contract with Microsoft for search. MySpace’s infrastructure is almost completely MS-based. The two companies were lovey-dovey at the Mix06 conference in Vegas earlier this year, when CEO Aber Whitcomb presented how Microsoft helped MySpace scale. Combined with Google’s 5% deal with AOL, the MySpace agreement has got to put a hurting on Microsoft. Wonder what happened?

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