August 14th, 2006
Google to Media: We Are Not a Verb
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Despite the fact that the term “google” has been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Google (the company) has taken to sending legal letters to the media, warning against using the term as a verb.
A spokesman confirmed that it had sent the letters. “We think it’s important to make the distinction between using the word Google to describe using Google to search the internet, and using the word Google to describe searching the internet. It has some serious trademark issues.” Source: The Independent
We Say: I can see why Google is doing this … as I said in my earlier post, everyone uses the term Xerox instead of photocopying, and Kleenex instead of tissue. I’m sure Kleenex and Xerox felt the same, but I’ve heard “googled” as a verb on TV shows … I think this is a losing battle as the term is going to be ingrained in the public psyche.
Bill M says:
Only an idiot would take offense at having their brand name used to define a market. Even more so when the market is a service and not a tangible good — the Kleenex brand may be on a shelf next to other tissues, but if I am going to google something, I won’t look for another search engine.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:52 am
Another Mike says:
I agree that they are going things about the wrong way not wanting “google” to be used as a verb. Honestly I use it myself and it just seemed like the right word to use.
But on the other side of the coin, I DO understand why they don’t like it. Google is desperately trying to branch out to do other things. Making good software is always an excellent thing but unless they can sell it(and I use the word sell as meaning mindshare) to the mass market, it’s not gonna go anywhere. Currently if you talk to a random person on the street about google they’ll go, “oh yeah that internet search company,” not realizing they do so much more.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:12 am
John says:
The are worried about loosing the trademark rights. Q-Tip and Thermos are names that became a genericized trademark: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genericized_trademark
The companies that origionaly trademarked the term lost control and lost the trademark. Google is just trying to make sure they can keep control, otherwise you would be using “Yahoo! Google” or “MSN instantGoogle” in the near future…
August 14th, 2006 at 10:21 am
David Johnston says:
Google is definitely fighting a losing battle. Google is now in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a verb, as pointed out in your article, and it’s there for a reason. The phrase “to google” is already in common use. I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard or read “google _______” or “google it”. If I were them, I’d be looking into a way to spin this positively rather than fight an obviously impossible-to-win battle.
August 14th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
Bill King says:
I agree with John above. Unless google can prove they are actively trying to protect their trademark, then they lose all rights to it. I’m sure they’re chuffed as hell it’s become general parlance, but legally, they have to do this.
August 14th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Dave Barnes says:
John [post #3],
You are INcorrect. “Q-Tip and Thermos are names that became a genericized trademark” is not true. Neither was mentioned on the Wikipedia page you referenced.
I went to the US Patent & Trademark Office website (www.uspto.gov) and found: THERMOS; Goods and Services: Refrigerators; Serial Number: 78895618.
I also found: Q-TIPS;
Goods and Services: cotton swabs; Registration Number: 2809256; Owner: Chesebrough-Pond’s.
,dave
August 15th, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Ekko Dieleman says:
Over here in The Netherlands most people use the Dutch equivalent of to google when they refer to performing an Internet search. And this verb is included in the leading dictionary as well so it’s unstoppable in Dutch too.
August 17th, 2006 at 4:02 am