Google made to pay fine

"OCTOBER 20, 2003 ( REUTERS ) - A French court has ruled against Internet search powerhouse Google Inc. in an intellectual property rights case that could have far reaching technological and financial implications for Web search firms, which process tens of millions of queries a day. "

http://www.computerworld.com/govern...1,86263,00.html

I thinks it's rubbish. Since when do companies get charged for misrepresentation by SPAMMY users? Next Google will be fined for their SERPs.

So that means, we won't be able to advertise things like the books, "Google Traffic Secrets" or "Ebay Power Seller Secrets" or things of that nature?

What about if we were a reseller for a company, like if I was a reseller for Dell Computers? I guess I couldn't optimize my site for Dell... just computers...

Yikes. So far it's just AdWords, but the SERPS have got to be next...

I agree Manga27. What disturbs me even more though is that Google is supplying a service that users are taking advantage of and Google has to pay for it! Hold the a$$clowns that decided to infringe on the trademark terms and let them deal with it. If some dorks screw AdWords up for the rest of us they'll end up like the infamous Cub's FAN (I live in Chicago and it's not his fault, just an example )

Peace (There's always next year)

-PK

Well, they know what they're doing - go after the guys with all the money first, and then go down the line if it doesn't pan out. ;-)

I think that such a ruling really goes against freedom of speech. Someone next will try to extend this further.

If I want to put up a website in protest to the actions of a major corporation this precedent would give power to shutting me down - even if what I posted was fair and accurate.

And... could this lead to TV stations being required to withhold the names of individuals, products or corporations that get into trouble.

I use brand names in my advertising all of the time and I believe that the company approves, even when pages on my website rank above theirs in searches for that product.

I agree EGOL....

It is a violation of freedom of speech...

This is horrible.....

What's next?

Will we have to get permission from a company holding a trademark to even speak a trademarked name...


I wish we coulld somehow put a stop to it...

It is just starting!!

I agree, its not Googles fault.

I haven't read the article about it... but I wonder if it's just targeting French advertisers. If France is trying to enforce it on the US version of Google for US advertisers that show up physically in France because a French user is using Google, that's ridiculous. At that point, if I were Google I would simply block all French IP addresses from using Google until it's settled in court.

Let them use Alta Vista for awhile, and watch France as a country go to the stone age... heh

- Shawn

Very interesting stuff.....

I can understand in a way where a trademark is coming from a name like pepsi that pepsi wouldn't want adsense coming up and saying "coca cola" in the sidelines. But the names in this case are so generic (market, for, flights) and just happen to be put together by some guy to make a brandname which for some amazing reason he appears to have a trademark on. I think it is strange this guy has managed to get this trademark in the first place.... it's like me trying to trademark "travel & flights" as my business name; no way would that be possible! Would be great if it was possible, imagine the fine google would have to pay in that case for adsense words "travel" and 'flights'!

Really ridiculous, I am right behind Google on this one....

Does anyone know if it is possible to make your ad come up with brandnames like "pepsi", "nike" etc in adsense? With google also being so protective of their brandname, I would think they wouldn't allow this but it's a tricky subject.

Where does this stop right? On what level do you have to have a trademark for a name to stop that name generating adsense ads? Will the country google offices have to police it for their countries? What about in other french speaking countries where people perform a search for "market for flights"? Basically this guy has freed up a monopoly for that term in any french speaking countries if this is allowed through.... very strange indeed!

Well, trademarked terms are already blocked from AdWords at the request of the trademark owners... I think that should be good enough. If you are a trademark owner, then you can tell Google to ban them. Which BTW, we are a trademark owner, and our competitors use AdWords to pop ads for our trademarks. I could care less... I guess if it gets out of hand, I could have Google block it though...

- Shawn

Hey Shawn,

Well, that's interesting (and more or less what I expected). So, this case is more about Google not putting a block on this guys 'trademarked words' than anything else.... and being fined for that. I really don't understand how this guy could have gotten that name trademarked and suspect that is why google wouldn't let him put a block on that name.

Interesting case, but shouldn't have too much long term financial effect for google or adsense if suppliers are able to have their trademarked names blocked if they want - which in itself is logical - just those buying ads have to come up with better target words. I wonder on what level you have to have a trademarked name; is it country, region, worldwide etc. before it is approvable to get google to disallow adsense on that name?

Also shows why google is being sued, not the advertiser themself...

Well trademarks are per country... so I would imagine you could at the very least block it from the specific countries version of Google. I know for a fact some trademarked words are not able to be used in AdWords (because I tried to use them once... hehe). So they *can* be blocked at the request of the trademark owner already.

- Shawn

mm

Actually, I think it just stops people targetting JUST the trademark, e.g. an eBay broad match. That is fair enough, inmmany ways. The problem will be when people have generic trademarks, or generic meaning, e.g. Hoover == vacuum.

Don't think the sky is falling personally, but we'll all see!!!