Google loses trademark case in France

In an interesting legal case, CNET News reports that

The Paris District Court has sanctioned Google and its French subsidiary from selling search-related advertisements against trademarks owned by [Louis Vuitton ]. …

The ruling comes on the heels of another French court order against Google, in a case brought by European chain Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts. In that lawsuit, the court said Google infringed on Le Meridien's trademarks by allowing the hotel chain's rivals to bid on keywords of its name and then appear prominently in those related search results. …

In the United States, the company recently won a favorable ruling in a similar case brought by Geico, the car insurance company. In December, a judge in Virginia ruled that as a matter of law, Google's use of Geico trademarks to trigger ads did not constitute trademark infringement and that Geico had not sufficiently proven its case.

Google still faces other copyright disputes, including one brought by American Blind and Wallpaper Factory.