I think the point is that it is an acquihire in purpose (want to team, not the assets) but would be blocked by the government so they did a thing that looks a LOT like an acquisition (paid off the shareholders, took the team) without technically being one specifically in order to avoid regulation. It's an "aquihire" in everything except name and the issue is that it was done in order to get around consumer protection laws. Google got what they wanted. The investors got what they wanted. The people got screwed.