Editing DoubleClick (section)

==History==
In 1995, [[Kevin O'Connor (entrepreneur)|Kevin O'Connor]] and [[Dwight Merriman]] developed the concept for DoubleClick in O'Connor's basement. They created a system to display [[banner ad]]s across a network of websites and track their performance to better target internet users.<ref name=":0"/> The product caught the attention of entrepreneur Kevin Ryan, who later joined as the company's [[CFO]] and later became its [[CEO]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao/2013/07/24/gilt-10gen-doubleclick-meet-the-duo-behind-new-yorks-most-successful-tech-companies/ | title=Gilt, MongoDB, DoubleClick: Meet The Duo Behind New York's Biggest Tech Companies | last=Colao | first=J.J. | work=[[Forbes]] | date=December 16, 2017}}</ref>

Later that year, O'Connor and Merriman met Fergus O'Daily, the CEO of Poppe Tyson. Poppe Tyson had created an Interactive Sales division, but lacked the technology to deliver online ads across its network of client's sites. O'Connor, Merriman, and O'Daily decided to merge the two companies.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1996/07/08/214327/index.htm | title=DOUBLECLICK INTERNET ADVERTISING | first=MELANIE | last=WARNER | work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] | date=July 8, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title=The Click: A Memoir and Lessons Learned During the Great Internet Boom | last=Sidor | first=David | publisher=iUniverse | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-595-32784-3 | pages=5}}</ref> To prevent competition from each company's sales teams, in November 1995 DoubleClick was spun off as an independent, wholly owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QpLtCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT2080 | title=The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising | first1=John | last1=McDonough | first2=Karen | last2=Egolf | publisher=[[Routledge]] | date=June 18, 2015| isbn=9781135949136 }}</ref> DoubleClick was founded as one of the earliest known [[Application Service Provider]]s (ASP) for internet "ad-serving"—primarily banner ads.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1FC9FRxlnckC&pg=PA16 |title=The Definitive Guide to Google AdWords: Create Versatile and Powerful Marketing and Advertising Campaigns |last1=Weller |first1=Bart| last2=Calcott|first2=Lori |publisher=Apress| isbn=9781430240150 |date=July 13, 2012}}</ref>

In February 1998, during the [[dot-com bubble]], the company became a [[public company]], trading on NASDAQ under the symbol DCLK, via an [[initial public offering]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nasdaq.com/markets/ipos/company/doubleclick-inc-7108-5111 | title=DOUBLECLICK INC (DCLK) IPO | publisher=[[NASDAQ]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/doubleclick-enjoys-banner-ipo/ | title=DoubleClick enjoys banner IPO | work=[[ZDNet]] | date=March 2, 1998}}</ref> Shares rose 75% on the first day of trading.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://money.cnn.com/1998/02/20/technology/doubleclick/ | title=DoubleClick shares soar | work=[[CNN]] | date=February 20, 1998}}</ref>

In June 1999, DoubleClick acquired Abacus Direct, which marketed consumer-purchasing data to catalog firms.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB92931652622688372 | title=DoubleClick, Abacus Direct Are Set To Merge in $1 Billion Stock Deal | last=Petersen | first=Andrea | work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | date=June 14, 1999 | url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://apnews.com/article/75047d06cab50913e89be60416b0e72c | title=DoubleClick To Buy Abacus Direct | work=[[Associated Press]] | date=June 14, 1999}}</ref>

In July 1999, DoubleClick acquired NetGravity and rebranded NetGravity AdServer as ''DART'' Enterprise.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB931823854604934844 | title=DoubleClick to Acquire NetGravity In Push to Own Online-Ad Market | first=Andrea | last=Petersen | work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | date=July 13, 1999 | url-access=subscription}}</ref>

As of 2002, DoubleClick faced six lawsuits, including class-action lawsuits, related to invasions of privacy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hu |first1=Jim |title=Consumer group blasts DoubleClick in report to FTC |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/consumer-group-blasts-doubleclick-in-report-to-ftc/ |access-date=12 August 2024 |work=CNET |date=January 2, 2002 |language=en}}</ref> Privacy groups complained that DoubleClick's plan to combine its online profiling information with offline information gathered by Abacus Direct would violate privacy rules, including the [[Stored Communications Act]], the [[Wiretap Statute]], and the [[Computer Fraud and Abuse Act]], as it would allow the company to match a person's identity with their online habits, which it tracks through cookies.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://slate.com/technology/2005/11/why-web-surfers-love-to-hate-cookies.html | title=Cookie Monsters | last=Penenberg | first=Adam L. | work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=November 7, 2005}}</ref> In February 2000, the FTC announced it had launched an investigation into the matter.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/17/technology/us-investigating-doubleclick-over-privacy-concerns.html |title=U.S. Investigating DoubleClick Over Privacy Concerns | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=February 17, 2000 | url-access=subscription}}</ref> The investigation was concluded in January 2001, with the FTC stating that it found no evidence that DoubleClick used or disclosed consumers personal identifying information.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=99060&page=1 | title=FTC Closes DoubleClick Investigation | work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date=January 23, 2001}}</ref><ref>See ''[[In re DoubleClick|In re DoubleClick Inc. Privacy Litigation]]'', 154 F. Supp. 2d 497, 505–06 (S.D.N.Y. 2001)</ref> DoubleClick eventually entered into a settlement agreement where DoubleClick was required to explain its privacy policy in "easy-to-read" language; conduct a public information campaign consisting of 300 million banner ads inviting consumers to learn more about protecting their privacy; and institute data purging and opt-in procedures among other requirements.<ref name=settlement>''In re DoubleClick Inc. Privacy Litigation'', [http://epic.org/privacy/internet/cookies/dblclkproposedsettlement.pdf Settlement Agreement] (2002).</ref>

In 2004, DoubleClick acquired Performics, which offered [[affiliate marketing]], [[search engine optimization]], and [[search engine marketing]] products. These products were integrated into the core DART system and rebranded DART search. DoubleClick Advertising Exchange connected both media buyers and sellers on an [[advertising exchange]] much like the financial negotiations of listed companies' capital stock. Google sold Performics in 2008 to [[Publicis]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2277671/google-to-cut-doubleclick-jobs--sell-performics-piece.html | title=Google to cut DoubleClick jobs, sell Performics piece | first=Juan Carlos | last=Perez | work=[[International Data Group]] | date=April 2, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2536446/google-to-sell-off-doubleclick-s-performics-unit.html | title=Google to sell off DoubleClick's Performics unit | first=Linda | last=Rosencrance | work=[[Computerworld]] | date=April 3, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/BL-TB-8343 | title=Google Sells Performics Unit To Publicis Groupe | first=Eric | last=Savitz | work=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] | date=August 6, 2008}}</ref>

In April 2005, [[Hellman & Friedman]], a San Francisco-based private equity firm, agreed to acquire the company for $1.1 billion.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://adage.com/article/digital/doubleclick-acquired-1-1-billion/45636 | title=DOUBLECLICK ACQUIRED FOR $1.1 BILLION | first=Kris | last=Oser | work=[[Advertising Age]] | date=April 25, 2005 | url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2556871/doubleclick-bought-for--1-1b.html | title=DoubleClick bought for $1.1B | first=Laura | last=Rohde | work=[[Computerworld]] | date=April 25, 2005}}</ref>