Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

'Bankrupt' Australian Surgeon Sues Google For Auto-Complete

Posted by Soulskill on from the why-is-google-so dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Australian surgeon Guy Hingston is suing Google in the U.S. for 'auto-complete' defamation. Typing in his name brings up 'Guy Hingston bankrupt' in the auto-complete. The association seems to have come about because Hingston purchased an aviation group CoastJet which went bankrupt two-and-a-half years later. Hingston himself was also bankrupted. Hingston claims this association has cost him customers and is suing Google for $75k, plus court costs. Google has often found itself the target of litigation over auto-complete searches. Are auto-complete results even useful? Should Google be policing the auto-complete suggestions?"

5 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe he shouldn't of gone bankrupt.

  2. Libel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How can it be libelous if it's true?

    1. Re:Libel? by sourcerror · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It can be libel and true at the same time if it invades privacy, but I don't think it applies in this case.

    2. Re:Libel? by mjwx · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It can be libel and true at the same time if it invades privacy, but I don't think it applies in this case.

      True. But bankruptcy rulings are public info in Australia. The bankruptcy is to protect you from your creditors, you cant do this the ruling is secret.

      So,
      Is Guy Hingston bankrupt = Yes
      Is this public knowledge = Yes
      Will this get thrown out of court = Yes

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  3. SEO gone wild by Lev13than · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As a surgeon, does he really think it's a good idea to replace the "Guy Hingston bankrupt" autocomplete with "Guy Hingston lawsuit"?

    --
    When you have nothing left to burn you must set yourself on fire