Google Inside

Forbes published an article this morning that talks about how Microsoft’s acquisition of aQuantive, made a year ago, could have a serious conflict of interest in the industry of search and paid search.

I do not believe it will.

Microsoft is a very silo-ed company. They are made up of many different entities, companies within companies. For this very reason, I do not think that even if Microsoft does keep aQuantive, that this arm of Microsoft will have an “upper hand” on search.

Some of my contacts within Microsoft tell me that they are not even allowed to talk to some members of Microsoft for this very reason. Sometimes not knowing a bit of information is better when defending your position.

I think that will be the case with aQuantive.

But will Microsoft sell parts of aQuantive just like Google sold part of DoubleClick? That is the question we should be asking.