French Co. Sues Google Over Trademark

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Google continues to find itself in hot legal water over trademark violations and this week was named in a lawsuit filed by French company AXA, a financial protection and wealth management company with more than $979 billion in client assets.

Paris-based AXA is scheduled to take the search engine company to court next month in the latest trademark dispute over Google's AdWords paid search service, which has caught the ire of numerous other companies that contend the service violates trademark law by including links to competitor's sites in paid advertising search results.

The overriding concern is that the service creates brand recognition confusion, the basis for most trademark infringement cases.

Analysts agree that the increasing concern over trademark issues could have far-reaching implications for other search sites that offer paid search results, like Yahoo and Overture.

The case is being likened to a three-year lawsuit between Playboy Enterprises and Excite.com and Netscape in which Playboy claimed the two companies had jointly infringed on the Playboy and Playmate trademarks in Internet searches and banner ads that did not link to official Playboy content.

Playboy won the case for an undisclosed amount of money based on the fact that its trademark was being used in a deliberately confusing manner.

"As soon as you have a situation where an Internet user enters 'AXA' and is given results including other companies offering equivalent products, that can be deemed a trademark infringement," Valerie Aumage of the Paris law firm Dubarry Le Douarin Veil, told the Associated Press.

AdWords typically accounts for more than 75 percent of Google's total revenue.

Google has so far found itself in litigation over the AdWords service with American Blind and Wallpaper Factory Inc., Pets Warehouse, and French luggage maker Louis Vuitton.

AXA is reportedly calling the service a form of "brand counterfeiting" and is asking for damages.

There is speculation among industry analysts that the lawsuit could delay Google's projected Initial Public Offering, which the company stated Friday could happen within the coming week.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 10 in Paris.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More