The other day we wrote about Google announcing a new policy that would allow advertisers to buy trademarked keywords. We also wrote about a class action suit that was filed this week against Google for similar conduct. Today Google went a step further and announced that not only can you buy keywords for trademarked terms, but you can under certain circumstances, advertisers can now use … [Read more...]
Class Action Suit Filed Against Google For Selling Trademarked Keywords
I know your thinking this must be the all Google blog this week, but everyday news is coming out on Google and today's is not good. As we wrote yesterday, Google announced the further expansion of its policy regarding allowing rivals to buy keywords under trademarked terms in up to 200 countries (you can read that post here). Today it appears, Google is facing a new lawsuit for allowing … [Read more...]
Google Sued For Trademark Infrigement Over Android
In 2002 Erich Specht was granted the a trademark on the term Android to use with his firm Android Data. 2004 Mr. Specht's company went out of business and he lost his domain, androiddata.com. Google applied to the US Patent and Trademark Office for a trademark on the term Android, but its application was rejected in 2008. Google as we all know, went on to use the term in connection with … [Read more...]
Why Minnesota’s Action Today May Not Work
According to a press release today, The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) served written notice to 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) instructing them to prohibit access of all Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling websites. Written notice was served to AT&T Internet Services, San … [Read more...]
ThePiratebay.org Founders Are Off To Jail
To follow up on a story we wrote about about a month ago when ithe court case started, the founders of thepiratebay.org got sentenced to jail today in a court in Sweden, for helping consumers illegally download online music and films. Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi and Carl Lundstroem were given jail sentences of one year each by a Stockholm district court … [Read more...]
Court Finds You Have No Privacy To Your MySpace.com, FaceBook.com Postings: A Cautionary Tale
A California appellate court ruled that a person does not have a right to privacy for any material they post on their social networking page. This exact case should also act as a cautionary tale to all parents and their children to understand the possible ramification of a seemingly innocent post on their Facebook.com, Myspace.com, or other social networking pages. Here are the facts: … [Read more...]
Ford Gets Sued For Using Domain As A “Catch Phrase”: WeSpeakCar.com
In an unusual case, a Pittsburgh auto parts dealer filed a lawsuit on Friday in the U.S. District Court against Ford Motor Co., claiming they used the company's "catch phrase", which is also its domain name. Frank's Auto Supply Inc., claims they have used the phrase, "We Speak Car," in advertising since June 8, 2003. Moreover Frank's owns the domain name, www.wespeakcar.com. Frank's … [Read more...]