Google Adword Lawsuits
As an expatriate lawyer who decided to create a business, I can't stop myself from researching legal issues that interest me. As I mentioned before, I decided to dig up information about Google. In addition to the litigation about gmail, I found plenty of information about their adword litigation.
Unfortunately, Google is being treated differently in different countries within the European Union in regards to the use of trademarks in their Adword program. Not only are they being treated differently but these differences cause a slight problem. The European Union believes in the basic principle that you are not allowed to restrict commerce between EU countries. What happens when the French courts say that you are unable to use a trademarked name but a German courts say you are able to use it. Germany and France share a border, what is going to stop the French from searching under the German google.
A few courts have said that as long as Google knows about the violation they are liable. OK, So what happens when the trademarked name is made up of common words, how do you stop using it? If you want to know more about this topic, I will be posting it on sofiamagazine. Google is a giant, and hopefully they will take this issue to the European court to get a ruling... that is the only way to ensure consistency between the countries on this issue and only the giants can afford to litigate cases at the European court.
Unfortunately, Google is being treated differently in different countries within the European Union in regards to the use of trademarks in their Adword program. Not only are they being treated differently but these differences cause a slight problem. The European Union believes in the basic principle that you are not allowed to restrict commerce between EU countries. What happens when the French courts say that you are unable to use a trademarked name but a German courts say you are able to use it. Germany and France share a border, what is going to stop the French from searching under the German google.
A few courts have said that as long as Google knows about the violation they are liable. OK, So what happens when the trademarked name is made up of common words, how do you stop using it? If you want to know more about this topic, I will be posting it on sofiamagazine. Google is a giant, and hopefully they will take this issue to the European court to get a ruling... that is the only way to ensure consistency between the countries on this issue and only the giants can afford to litigate cases at the European court.
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