Search Engines and Trademark Law

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Search Engines and Trademark Law

• TAG Finance Society
• Panel Presentation
• December 2, 2009

Alex MacKay Stites Harbison, PLLC alexandra.mack
ay_at_stites.com
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Trademark Definition

• Any word, name, symbol, or device, or any
  combination thereof used by a person to identify
  and distinguish his or her goods, including a
  unique product from those manufactured or sold by
  others and to indicate the source of the goods,
  even if that source is unknown.

Lanham Act 15 U.S.C. 1127
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Infringement v Fair Use

• Ownership of valid mark
• Priority of use
• Use in commerce
• Likelihood of confusion

• Descriptive uses
• Nominative fair use
• Comparative advertising

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SEO Trademark Encounters

• Meta tags
• Title
• Keyword
• Description
• Search Logic (key terms)
• Advertisements
• Title
• Text
• URL
• Landing page

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Meta tags

• Title
• Header of page
• Description
• description of a website viewed by users in
  search results
• Keyword
• provide text for search engines to index along
  with page content not viewed by users

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Meta tags

• History
• Used by search engines to direct traffic
• Used by website owners
• To direct traffic to selves
• To direct traffic away from others (sometimes)
• Others marks
• Others keyword tags
• Case law
• Brookfield initial interest confusion
• Welles some possible fair uses

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Meta tags

• Present
• Treatises advise that most search engines do not
  use keyword tags for rankings
• Google announcement (Sept. 2009)
• Does not use keyword or description meta tags for
  ranking
• May display snippets of description meta tag in
  results
• Case law
• Some cases have relied too heavily on precedent
  for facts about search engines
• Parties must educate court on changes in
  technology that affect application of law
• Standard Process no initial interest confusion
  because search engines do not use keyword tags
• Conventional wisdom meta tags are dead

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Meta tags
(not dead yet)

• Future
• Bing advises continued use of keyword tags
• Though it does not say this will affect rankings
• Yahoo still uses keyword meta tags
• But gives these terms the lowest weight in
  ranking
• Case law
• Axiom LOC because of marks in meta tags
• Both description and keyword inferred ranking
  from keyword use, but description appeared in
  results with competitors marks LOC
• Deltek use of competitor mark on web site, in
  domain, and in meta tag creates likelihood of
  confusion

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Search Logic

• Keywords
• Is sale of keyword use in commerce?
• YES
• Rescuecom v. Google
• Recommendation (Suggestion tool)
• Sale to advertisers of anothers mark
• Use in commerce

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Advertisement

• Content
• Analyzed traditionally
• Advertiser
• Education/information
• Critic
• Reseller
• Competitor
• Nature of Ad (by competitor)
• Implies sale of competitors products
• Invites comparison of its products to competitors
• Makes no mention of competitor or competitor mark
• What if it hinges on Initial interest confusion?

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TIPS

• Meta tags
• Dont be sneaky
• Dont put competitors marks in the same color
  font as the background of the page
• Dont use others marks in keyword meta tags
• Some exceptions (fair use)
• Nominative uses (e.g. Welles)
• Comparative advertising (be clear on landing
  page)
• Dont copy competitors keyword page wholesale

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TIPS

• Keywords-- Enforcement
• Set own internal policy in advance
• With respect to competitors
• With respect to resellers (address in agreements)
• Consider search engines internal policy
• Consider third party watch services or alerts
• Consider Jurisdictional Issues
• Will initial interest confusion will be basis

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TIPS

• KeywordsDefensive
• Most conservative Dont use others marks use
  generic terms
• If you do use others marks
• Clearly identify source of advertisement
• Make overt comparison (nominative use)
• Consider descriptive terms
• Do not overuse
• is there related information on the webpage
• Consider how dynamic keywords operate
• Consider negative keywords

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TIPS

• Be savvy
• Stay on top of technology and policy changes
• Be prepared to explain how changes affect legal
  analysis
• Be conscious of general industry practices