Legal Limbo Could Last 12 Months Or More
IT could be more than a year before the sensational legal action brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission against Google and Trading Post actually gets tested in court. The ACCC alleges the companies engaged in "misleading and deceptive conduct" during a Trading Post campaign on Google AdWords designed to take business from competitor websites. While the matter has been listed for a directions hearing in the Federal Court on August 21, this is merely expected to set the terms of engagement - legal experts say the real legal battle will not occur until the second half of next year. Google has promised to "vigorously defend" the ACCC's allegations, which would have global ramifications if proved upheld. The ACCC alleges that Trading Post contravened the Trade Practices Act 1974 in 2005 by bidding on competitor brands "Kloster Ford" and "Charlestown Toyota", companies which compete against Trading Post for vehicle sales. By allowing this to happen, Google has been acused of misleading and deceptive conduct. In a related action, the ACCC alleges that Google, by failing to adequately distinguish sponsored links from "organic" search results, has engaged and continues to engage in misleading and deceptive conduct. The ACCC is seeking:
The ACCC claims this is the first action of its type globally. Whilst Google has faced court action overseas, particularly in the United States, France and Belgium, this generally has been in relation to trademark use. Although the US anti-trust authority the Federal Trade Commission has examined similar issues, the ACCC understands that it is the first regulatory body to seek legal clarification of Google's conduct from a trade practices perspective. Search Engine Room: July 31, 2007 Latest News
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Events
Australia’s original search marketing and optimisation event, Search Engine Room, is returning to Sydney with a fresh theme and approach. Highlights include:
Search Engine Room an Australian-owned event that strives to reflect the market in which it operates while embracing international trends. It’s outward rather than inward looking, taking great care to incorporate consumer and marketing priorities into innovative and provocative programs. The program will be launched the week beginning July 21. Informative, educational, provocative and sometimes controversial, Search Engine Room is the leading event for Australasia's rapidly-growing search industry. It's held annually, attracting widespread industry support, and has a reputation for quality content, excellent event management and staging. The program focus is on respected, well-connected speakers delivering topical, relevant information. Search engine optimisation and marketing is well-covered, while broader industry issues are also addressed through interviews with leading search industry figures. There are case studies and debates, plus panels led by informed journos. Audience interaction is encouraged and Search Engine Room always makes an effort to be forward-looking, tracking the latest search and digital trends. Consumers are also given the once-over, enabling delegates to gain a better understanding of their customers. This format has great appeal and delegates come from around the country. Apart from search marketers, marketing managers, e-commerce managers, online business owners, senior management, digital media executives and agency types predominate. Companies large and small from diverse industries are represented. Some have been in the game for years, others are just starting out. A good way of keeping in touch is to subscribe to Search Engine Room News, which is packed with original content and comes out every five or so weeks. If you have any questions, please call Martin Kelly on 612-9882-1575. Meanwhile, here are some images from the 2007 event.
Bookings are now open for TRAVELtech 2008 - Australia's leading online travel marketing, distribution and tech event. This year's theme is the open-ended Year of Living Dangerously? It can be taken a couple of ways ... the obvious: oil, inflation, interest rates and marketing costs up - challenges ahead. But it's also a question, and the good news is there's increasing evidence the online channel may be the place consumers turn at times like these. Find out more at TRAVELtech 2008. Confirmed speakers are listed below, while the latest program has just been posted - it's packed with industry leaders and topical content.
TRAVELtech, founded in 1999, focusses on the latest online travel marketing and web-based innovations. It has a well-established reputation for delivering relevant, high-quality content and excellent networking - more than 300 delegates attended in 2007. If you have any questions, suggestions or would like to sponsor, please call Martin Kelly on (612) 9882-1575. Please visit the TRAVELtech photo gallery to see some photographs from the 2007 event. |
