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The US Justice Department is doubling down on its attempt to break up Google by asking it to give up the underlying technology powering the company's digital ad network. The proposed remedy joins a separate federal effort to separate the Chrome browser from its dominant search engine. The government's latest proposal was filed late Monday in a Virginia federal court two-and-half weeks after a federal judge ruled that parts of its lucrative digital ad network have been improperly abusing its market power to stifle competition to the detriment of online publishers. In a 17-page filing, Justice Department lawyers argued that US District Judge Leonie Brinkema should punish Google by ordering the company to offload its AdX business and DFP ad platform, tools that bring together advertisers, who want to market their products, and publishers, who want to sell commercial space on their sites, to bring in revenue. Not surprisingly, it's an idea that Google vehemently plans to oppose when the
Google is changing the way its Google Local Services ads work, which could affect millions of small businesses. Google Local Services ads run locally and are a big way that small businesses market their goods and services. Ads appear on the top of Google search results. Starting November 21, only businesses with a verified Google Business Profile will be able to run the ads. The change affects businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and select businesses in the US. and Canada, Google said in an online post. The company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The change is an effort to crack down on fraud. But legitimate small businesses could be hurt if they're unaware of the change. If a small business' Google Business Profile's name and address doesn't match the information with the ad, advertising will be paused. Getting verified on Google isn't difficult, but it does take some time. Business owners must add or claim their business address on Google. Then
The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea by Policybazaar, an aggregator of insurance products, seeking to restrain the use of key words identical to its trade marks on Google's AdWords Program by other entities. Justice Navin Chawla, while dealing with Policybazaar's plea against the alleged use of its trademark by Coverfox Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd and Acko General Insurance Ltd on the Adwords Program, said prima facie no case of infringement was made out. Plaintiff Policybazaar, in its lawsuits against Coverfox and Acko, claimed that the defendant companies were using key words identical to the Policybazaar marks like "Policy Bazaar", "PolicyBazaar" and "Policy Bazar" with the intent of diverting business from its website by causing confusion. The court, in its interim order, said the suits were based on the allegations of mere use of the registered trademarks of Policybazaar as key words by the defendants in the AdWords Program and the mere appearance of the websites of the ...