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French Court: Google Breached Louis Vuitton Trademark Rights

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2005 - 3:12am.
Paris -- The Parisian District Court has ruled that U.S.-based search engine firm Google's practice of selling brand-name triggered advertising infringed on the trademark of Louis Vuitton. Google makes around 98% of its money by selling so-called "keyword-linked" advertising. Charged with trademark counterfeiting, unfair competition and misleading advertising, Google must now pay the French luxury goods firm $250,000, the court said. Google must also stop displaying ads for Vuitton's competitors whenever Internet users type the company's name into the search engine. Google said it was still considering whether or not to appeal the ruling. "We're studying the ruling," said Google spokesperson Myriam Boublil. "No decision's been taken yet on an appeal." Only a month ago, Google lost a similar case with Le Meridian Hotels, in which the search engine firm was fined $2,550 and ordered to pay costs.
tags: Law | Google | French | Louis Vuitton | Trademark |