Microsoft beat out Google to buy a small stake ($240 million, which works out to 1.6 percent) in Facebook. Note that this is a much smaller stake than the previously rumored conversations which put the number in the 5-10 percent range. Microsoft’s ad deal with Facebook will expand to an exclusive arrangement for third-party ads, which will also be served to international visitors. It also puts Microsoft in the driver’s seat for any subsequent talks and investments that may take place down the road.
As I’ve said in the past, I think Facebook is one of the most promising new internet companies of our time.
