YouTube Shorts May Fall Down in UK Clash Over Brand Name (1)

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is locked in a legal battle to avoid a potential global rebranding of YouTube Shorts, its rival to TikTok and Reels.

The US tech giant won a ruling on Thursday paving the way for the UK High Court to settle a dispute with short-film firm Shorts International Ltd., which alleges YouTube’s use of the word “short” infringes its trademarks.

“This case, in terms of value and importance is at the high end on the scale,” lawyer Lindsay Lane for Googlesaid during the hearing. Google had claimed that an adverse ruling could incur massive re-branding ...