{"id":31092,"date":"2013-03-26T13:11:23","date_gmt":"2013-03-26T12:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rt.com\/news\/sweden-removes-word-google-856\/"},"modified":"2013-03-26T13:11:23","modified_gmt":"2013-03-26T12:11:23","slug":"ungoogleable-sweden-removes-term-after-pressure-from-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/ungoogleable-sweden-removes-term-after-pressure-from-google\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Ungoogleable\u2019: Sweden removes term after pressure from Google"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Published time: March 26, 2013 12:11<\/span> <\/div>\n

\"AFP\n<\/div>\n

Sweden\u2019s Language Council for the first time decided to remove a word from its 2012 annual list of new words following pressure from Google, as the US search engine giant feared falling into the trap of becoming a generic trademark.<\/p>\n

Google asked for the definition of the new Swedish term ‘ogooglebar,’ \u2014 meaning something that you cannot find on the web with the use of a search engine \u2014 to be amended to refer only to searches performed using Google\u2019s own service, according to the Council.<\/p>\n

The Language Council failed to comply, and decided to remove the word altogether after a prolonged legal debate.<\/p>\n

Google’s lawyers \u201ctried to influence our way of defining the word,\u201d<\/em> Language Council head Ann Cederberg told Sveriges Radio. \u201cIt’s not just about our definition of the word; we also tried to describe how users define the word and Google had opinions about that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Cedenberg admitted that the debate with Google took \u201ctoo much time and resources,\u201d<\/em> and that even though the word was removed from the list, it still exists in Swedish language and nothing can stop people from using it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s the users of the language who decide if it will remain,\u201d<\/em> she said. \u201cSo if the word exists, use it if you want. That’s something Google can’t decide.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

She also contradicted the claims that Google censored Sweden. Instead, Cedenberg argued that the idea behind the decision to remove the word was to trigger a debate. “We thought it would be useful to start talking about this; we have nothing to lose,”<\/em> she told TT news agency.<\/p>\n

Google has taken up the fight to protect its brand from becoming a generic trademark like Zipper, yo-yo, aspirin, Kleenex, Band-Aid and others, the Verge news website suggested. Companies can lose their brand if consumers start treating the name as an everyday word, and stop associating it with a specific brand.<\/p>\n

Earlier in May 2012, Arizona man David Elliott sued to have ‘Google’ be declared a generic word that means \u201csearch on the Internet,\u201d<\/em> and to have Google\u2019s trademark cancelled.<\/p>\n

Elliot\u2019s attempt came after a court ruling that forced him to give up more than 750 website names, such as ‘googlegaycruises.com’ and ‘googledonaldtrump.com.’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Published time: March 26, 2013 12:11<\/span> <\/div>\n

\"AFP<\/div>\n

Sweden’s Language Council for the first time decided to remove a word from its 2012 annual list of new words following pressure from Google, as the US search engine giant feared falling into the trap of becoming a generic trademark.<\/p>\n

Google asked for the definition of the new Swedish term ‘ogooglebar,’ – meaning something that you cannot find on the web with the use of a search engine – to be amended to refer only to searches performed using Google’s own service, according to the Council.<\/p>\n

The Language Council failed to comply, and decided to remove the word altogether after a prolonged legal debate.<\/p>\n

Google’s lawyers “tried to influence our way of defining the word,”<\/em> Language Council head Ann Cederberg told Sveriges Radio. “It’s not just about our definition of the word; we also tried to describe how users define the word and Google had opinions about that.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Cedenberg admitted that the debate with Google took “too much time and resources,”<\/em> and that even though the word was removed from the list, it still exists in Swedish language and nothing can stop people from using it.<\/p>\n

“It’s the users of the language who decide if it will remain,”<\/em> she said. “So if the word exists, use it if you want. That’s something Google can’t decide.”<\/em><\/p>\n

She also contradicted the claims that Google censored Sweden. Instead, Cedenberg argued that the idea behind the decision to remove the word was to trigger a debate. “We thought it would be useful to start talking about this; we have nothing to lose,”<\/em> she told TT news agency.<\/p>\n

Google has taken up the fight to protect its brand from becoming a generic trademark like Zipper, yo-yo, aspirin, Kleenex, Band-Aid and others, the Verge news website suggested. Companies can lose their brand if consumers start treating the name as an everyday word, and stop associating it with a specific brand.<\/p>\n

Earlier in May 2012, Arizona man David Elliott sued to have ‘Google’ be declared a generic word that means “search on the Internet,”<\/em> and to have Google’s trademark cancelled.<\/p>\n

Elliot’s attempt came after a court ruling that forced him to give up more than 750 website names, such as ‘googlegaycruises.com’ and ‘googledonaldtrump.com.’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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