A newly filed securities class action lawsuit is drawing a sharp spotlight to one of the most significant tensions in online publishing today: Google’s shift to AI-generated summaries, and what that means for companies like Reddit that rely on referral traffic. [Read more…]
Damages Expert’s Blunder Forces New Trial in Google vs. EcoFactor Thermostat Battle
Google Gets Second Shot in Smart Thermostat Patent Case After $20M Verdict Scrapped
Federal Circuit Finds Damages Testimony Flawed, Sends Case Back for New Trial
In a dramatic reversal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ordered a new trial on damages in the high-profile patent lawsuit between EcoFactor, Inc. and Google LLC. The case, centered on Google’s Nest smart thermostats and EcoFactor’s patent on networked HVAC control, initially ended with a jury awarding EcoFactor $20 million in lump-sum damages. That award is now off the table. [Read more…]
Mexico Sues Google Over Gulf of America Label on U.S. Google Maps
President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that Mexico is suing Google after the tech company ignored repeated formal requests to stop labeling the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on its U.S. Google Maps. [Read more…]
Google Beats Patent Lawsuit as Court Slams ‘Abstract’ Image Tech Claims
Google Scores Win as Federal Circuit Nixes Digital Imaging Patent Claims
Longitude’s lawsuit over image correction software fails under Section 101
Google walked away with a clean victory last week after the Federal Circuit upheld the dismissal of a patent infringement suit brought by Longitude Licensing Ltd. The ruling, handed down April 30, 2025, reinforces the courts’ continued skepticism toward patent claims that lean on abstract ideas without providing concrete technical details. [Read more…]
Google’s $100M AdWords Lawsuit Nears Payout—Here’s What You Need to Know
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Google Settles Longstanding AdWords Lawsuit for $100 Million
Back in September 2024, I reported that emails were being sent out in connection with the class action lawsuit Rene Cabrera v. Google LLC. The case centers on Google’s former AdWords platform and its handling of location-based ad targeting. Now, a major update has been announced: a proposed $100 million settlement is on the table—and eligible advertisers are being contacted once again. [Read more…]
Google Chat Will Soon Delete Conversations You Don’t Control
Google is rolling out a significant change to Google Chat that could impact users who communicate with work or school accounts from their personal Google accounts. The change, taking effect May 1, 2025, alters who controls the conversation history—and you may lose access to messages unless you act now. [Read more…]
LeGuide.com SAS vs. Google: U.S. Court Grants Motion to Lift Stay, Denies Judicial Assistance Application
The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has issued a memorandum order in the case of LeGuide.com SAS (“Petitioner”) against Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. (“Respondents”). The case involves an ongoing dispute concerning alleged anticompetitive practices by Google in the online comparison-shopping market. [Read more…]
Google Using Your Images in AI Overviews Without Credit: Where’s the Line?
Don’t you love it when Google uses your photo in their AI Overviews but doesn’t bother to credit you, link to your site, or even mention that it’s your photo? (In this particular case, the image is one I personally created.) It feels a bit like someone borrowing your car without asking—only to use it for their errands without so much as a thank-you. The screen capture above is an example of this. Google’s using an image of mine in the AI Overviews without any credit to the source of the image.
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Google Teams Up with NC Community Colleges to Revolutionize Career Training
The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) is making waves in the education world by teaming up with Google to roll out no-cost AI and tech training programs across all 58 of its colleges. The partnership brings a golden opportunity for students to gain cutting-edge credentials in some of today’s most sought-after industries, including cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital marketing. [Read more…]
SEO Poisoning: Google Search Traps Cat Lovers with Malware in Surprising Bengal Cat Scam
An SEO-poisoned site hosting a malicious .zip file. Image courtesy SOPHOS News.
In a twist that combines the internet’s love for cats with a malicious cyber scheme, Bengal cat fans in Australia have found themselves unwitting targets in a GootLoader campaign, according to SOPHOS News. This scheme used SEO poisoning, a tactic designed to manipulate search engine results, making malicious sites appear high in Google search results for specific queries. In this case, users looking for information on owning Bengal cats in Australia fell prey to a search-result ambush. [Read more…]