A French court decision could be a significant speedbump for the burgeoning new industry of search engine marketing. The French just keep helping out in every way, don't they?
A French court has ruled against the internet search engine Google in an intellectual property rights case that may have far reaching technological and financial implications for internet search firms, which process tens of millions of queries a day.Posted by Alan at October 19, 2003 09:31 PMThe civil court in Nanterre, near Paris, fined Google €75,000 ($126,000) for allowing advertisers to link text internet advertisements to trademarked search terms and gave the company 30 days to stop the practice, common at internet search services.
The ruling, handed down last week, is believed to be the first in which the owner of a trademarked term successfully sued an internet search service for allowing advertisers to use protected terms in text ads.
If it is upheld on appeal and validated in other countries, the decision could force the search services to pre-screen search terms for trademarks before letting advertisers use them.
Google, based in Mountain View, California, said it would appeal against the decision and declined further comment.
Because the decision is enforceable, Google will have to make the changes while the appeal is under way or face fines of up to €1500 for each infraction.
via the Sydney Morning Herald