Yes, sadly Google has emerged victorious in its 5-year battle with Louis Vuitton over luxury goods trademarks.This victory, in the European Court of Justice (ECJ), means the internet search engine is not liable when people (in particular counterfeiters) use the luxury goods maker's trademarks in online ads.
According to the LA Times, the ECJ said that Google is merely a provider of advertisements, not a company infringing trademark rights. It ruled that only advertisers are liable for infringing a trademark, and not the company providing a place for ads.
But Google didn't escape completely unscathed. The ECJ also ruled that if a trademark owner believes that its name is being used illegally, Google must remove the infringing ads from its service. If it doesn't, it could be liable for trademark infringement.
Click here for our earlier thoughts on this court case.
Image credit: skynews.com
