Google Battles Against DMCA Misuse in Recent Lawsuit
In a striking legal move, Google has filed a lawsuit in California against two individuals, Nguyen Van Duc and Pham Van Thien. The suit accuses them of misusing up to 65 Google accounts for submitting fraudulent DMCA takedown notices, impacting around 620,000 URLs. This tactic was allegedly employed to undercut competitors and negatively affect Google’s operations and its clientele.
Systematic Abuse of Copyright Law
The complaint outlines how Duc and Thien, along with up to 20 unidentified defendants, orchestrated a series of deceptive copyright takedown requests. Their goal was to eliminate their competition’s online presence from Google Search results, particularly targeting third-party t-shirt sellers.
Impact of Fraudulent Notices
Google, as a major DMCA notice intermediary, stressed the damaging consequences of such fraudulent activities. False claims included impersonating representatives of prominent companies and celebrities. This deceit led to significant traffic and revenue losses for both Google and affected parties, particularly during peak holiday seasons.
Legal Recourse and Preventive Measures
Under the law, knowingly issuing false DMCA notices can lead to liability for damages and legal costs. Google’s lawsuit seeks to hold the defendants accountable for economic losses and disruption caused. Additionally, Google demands preventive measures against the defendants to stop further misuse of its services.
