Protecting Brands on the Internet — A Look at Approaches Taken by the EU, US and Italy

Introduction

Online advertising is the backbone of the internet business model. However, the practice by online advertisers in bidding to use keywords purchased from search engines featuring famous brand names may hurt brand owners’ reputation or divert consumers.

Moreover, the internet offers more opportunities for counterfeiters. Indeed, many online stores, usually run by providers outside the European Union, imitate stores selling genuine products and induce consumers into thinking they are purchasing genuine goods at discounted prices.

So how can brand owners strengthen their brands and protect themselves while third parties are exploiting their trademarks online (e.g. through paid search words, ...