Looks like Google is gradually coming to terms with the reality that monetization of content theft is not a viable path forward. They’ve apparently settled a trademark dispute with Rosetta Stone.
From a press release issued today:
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) and Google have agreed to dismiss the three-year old trademark infringement lawsuit between them and to meaningfully collaborate to combat online ads for counterfeit goods and prevent the misuse and abuse of trademarks on the Internet. The companies will also work together to help law enforcement officials around the world go after counterfeiters at the source. By working together, Google and Rosetta Stone hope to improve detection methods, and better protect from abuse brands like Rosetta Stone, advertising platforms like Google AdWords, and ultimately consumers on the Internet At the end of the day, both companies would rather cooperate than litigate, and we believe this agreement is an important step toward eliminating piracy and trademark abuse on the Internet.
Rosetta Stone had claimed that individuals searching for its products using Google’s search engine were ending up at sites that featured counterfeit or competitor’s software.
It’s not clear exactly what’s meant by “working together” but the notion that they can “cooperate rather than litigate” bodes well for those who embrace innovation and content creation.