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back to article US court orders online advertiser to use 'negative keywords'

A US court has ordered a company to use 'negative keywords' to avoid being associated with another firm's trade mark. The innovative order was one of a series of measures ordered by the judge. Orion Bancorp took Orion Residential Finance (ORF) to court in Florida over ORF's use of the word 'Orion' in relation to financial …

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  1. Big Al
    Thumb Up

    Finally...

    ... a judge who understands the Internet and can incorporate that knowledge into their judgements! Get them training the others, quick!

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  2. Christopher E. Stith

    negative kywords when available, or limiting the ad networks?

    If these people can only advertise on ad networks that allow exclusion of ads based on certain words, that's limiting the businesses with which they are allowed to market. Sure, they probably wouldn't want to use any ad network that didn't offer those features anyway, but this seems like an overly broad restriction on their trade if it requires them only to use certain companies.

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  3. Mike Powers
    Alert

    Quick, someone trademark "SHOE"

    If I read this ruling right, all I have to do is make up a company whose name is a common term like "shoe" or "computer" or "boob" or "gold", and nobody else can ever use that term for advertising again!

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  4. Jay
    Thumb Up

    RE:"Quick, someone trademark "SHOE"

    I've just trademarked my own Website named "Shoe-Boob. Computer-Gold!". Pay up, buddy.

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Orion constellation?

    Guess the Astronomy community is too big to sue. Or the trademark would get revoked since those stars have been around an awfully lot longer time than the company.

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  6. Anonymous from Mars
    Joke

    Re: RE:"Quick, someone trademark "SHOE"

    Sir, you are infringing on Shoe LLC (pronounced Shway) and ShoeboOB (Shoebo (pronounced shway-bo) Outer Businesses). If you cease and desist all activities now, including breathing, we will give you a 10% discount on our default judgment against you (for your failure to appear in court as I was typing this).

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    \/14gr-aa

    Isn't Viagra a trademark, perhaps that should be come a negative adword

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    >Guess the Astronomy community is too big to sue.

    ...and they don't sell financial products.

    Trademarks are about similar or related businesses, there has to be some element of confusion with the two companies activities.

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  9. David H
    Alien

    Watch out

    A member of the Orion Syndicate might come calling...

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  10. Aodhhan

    Okay, this wasn't thought through

    Will the real "FIRST NATIONAL BANK" please step forward

    I guess first one to the court room wins?

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