Consim Info, an Indian portal company is suing Google for trademark infringement. Consim Info is claiming that Google is using its trademarks to drive business to its competitors.
Consim Info owns a number of matrimonial sites such as BharatMatrimony.com. It targets specific communities in India with matrimonial sites for each of these communities.
Consim claims that when a user searches for BharatMatrimony.com or other matrimonial sites owned by the company, the user is displayed with advertisements of its competitors.
Consim is objecting to this saying that it is a violation of its trademarks and also means loss of business to them.
Consim’s trademarks also appear in the advertisements and web pages of competitors–Consim claims.
On the other side, a Google spokeswoman declined to comment over the issue citing that the matter was in front of the court to decide.
Consim is demanding that Google stop displaying competitors advertisements when users search for its trademarks. For example, users wishing to go to BharatMatrimony.com often search for “Bharat Matrimony”. Consim wants no competitor’s ads to be served for such keywords.
Consim Info has filed a case at the Madras High Court in Chennai. The court has already granted an injunction.
Some of the competitors have also been named in the suit.
Interestingly, Bharatmatrimony.com turns up when one searches for its competitors’ domains or trademarks.
Consim has declined to comment on this issue though it did not rule out its advertising department using competitors trademarks in their advertising campaigns.