France: No Google Text Ads For Trademarked Words

Posted by timothy on Sunday October 19, 2003 @05:16AM from the word-police-regroup dept.

ASN writes "Reuters reports that a French court barred Google from providing text ads with search results for trademarked terms, except those from the trademark owner (in this case, 'Bourse des vols,' potentially -- 'Microsoft,' 'Scientology' even 'Linux'). According to Reuters, 'If it was 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 was fined 75,000 euros for the practice, and would have to pay 1,500 euro for each further infraction while appeal is underway (which makes one wonder if Google is paying for this)."

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Re:Which Trademark Owner? by kfg · 2003-10-19 05:44 · Score: 4, Insightful

More than that, it's perfectly legitimate for someone who is not the trademark holder to us that trademark in their advertising.

"Well sell cars from a particular manufacturer from a particular country, but we can't tell you which of either."

Please come in and buy one."

This isn't about protecting trademarks, this is about simply being able to advertise what you sell. Advertising that I sell Serta mattresses doesn't in any way delute the trademark.

KFG