Google AdWords: liability shifts to advertisers | Practical Law

Google AdWords: liability shifts to advertisers | Practical Law

The European Court of Justice has held that Google's use of its AdWords tool does not infringe brand owners' trade mark rights. However, the judgment is not all bad news for brand owners: advertisers that buy trade marks as keywords may be liable for trade mark infringement in certain circumstances; and search engine providers will still have to act fast to remove advertisements that infringe third party trade marks.

Google AdWords: liability shifts to advertisers

Practical Law UK Articles 8-501-8166 (Approx. 4 pages)

Google AdWords: liability shifts to advertisers

by Alex Batteson, Linklaters LLP
Published on 24 Mar 2010European Union
The European Court of Justice has held that Google's use of its AdWords tool does not infringe brand owners' trade mark rights. However, the judgment is not all bad news for brand owners: advertisers that buy trade marks as keywords may be liable for trade mark infringement in certain circumstances; and search engine providers will still have to act fast to remove advertisements that infringe third party trade marks.