keywords in meta tags

Competitors's name as keywords in meta tags

[yasmeencpy]

Is it legal for a company to include its competitors's names as keywords in its website meta tags?

[Shak]

I think it is, and would not advise it.

[searchenginewatch.com...]

[tamimi.com...]

Therefore, whether the use of another party’s trademark in a meta tag constitutes trademark infringement depends on how and why the trademark is used. This has been illustrated by the above two court cases. However, one thing is for certain. Cyberspace can no longer be assumed as the wild west of trademark use as one can be found liable for trademark infringement in that media as it can in other forms of “real world” media.

may help, I am sure there are other relevant cases out there.

and sorry forgot to mention, Welcome to Webmasterworld

Shak

[edited by: Shak at 7:00 pm (utc) on Mar. 14, 2003]

[Alternative Future]

Hello yasmeencpy and welcome to WebMasterWorld,

I think your question is all-dependent on the competitor name if it is a generic phrase etc. How much alike is it to the competitor?

-gs