Google issued legal warning against Booble site
2 February 2004
A copycat site providing links to adult material has been issued with a legal warning from the world's most popular search engine, Google, this week.
Booble.com uses the same format as Google but under its logo it displays the fact it is an adult search engine, with a front page stating 'we have a sense of humour'.
However, Google has accused the site of infringing on its trademarks and has demanded it change its name and identity, according to BBC News Online.
In a writ issued against Booble, the pornography site is asked to 'permanently refrain' from using Google's name or any variation on it 'that is likely to cause confusion or dilution.'
Booble insists its site is merely a harmless parody and is not affiliated with any other search engine, although the site does provide a link to Google.
Fighting back against the complaints, US-based Booble replied by asserting its right to parody under the first amendment. It said: 'The entire universe gets the joke. Only a lawyer could say 'Booble' without smiling.'
Google clearly does not agree though, refusing to accept Booble is a harmless mimicry, it addressed the pornographic site by arguing: 'For a work to constitute a parody, it must use some elements of a prior author's composition to create a new one that, at least in part, comments on the original author's works.'
Launched on January 20, the site claims it has proved so popular, it has already collapsed twice due to too much use.
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