A company called American Blind (which makes window-coverings) is suing Google because other organizations, like the American Council for the Blind, its competitors have bought the Google AdWord "blind" and so American Blind claims that its trademark is being infringed-upon, and that Google is secondarily liable for the infringement. My cow-orker Jason Schultz dissects and destroys this claim in very short order.
"We spend millions of dollars annually to build brand awareness and cannot stand idle while Google allows our competitors to ride our coattails," said a statement from Steve Katzman, CEO of American Blind.
So it's really not about consumer protection after all; it's about money. Money that AB&WF spent on silly meatspace advertising while its competitors blew past it by disintermediating physical adspace.
