Google Set To Go To The High Court To Defend False & Misleading Practises Claim

Google is moving to defend recent Federal Court findings that they engaged in “false and misleading conduct” by taking their case to the High Court.The Company claims a recent Federal Court ruling–which found their search engine and practises allowed advertisers to host misleading ads via Google’s AdWords program–has global implications. 

According to The Australian newspaper, Google is poised to launch a High Court challenge to the Federal Court finding that it engaged in false and misleading advertising.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission won their case after they appealed a Federal Court decision that had found Google was not responsible for four misleading advertisements.

The full bench of the Federal Court found “Google is in fact much more than a mere conduit”.

“Several features of the overall process indicate that Google engages in misleading conduct,” it ruled.

The ACCC’s win on appeal blindsided the internet giant, which did not believe the appeal would be upheld.

Google described their loss to the ACCC as ‘disappointing’ and The Australian claims the company will certainly challenge the ruling in the High Court.

Observers claim that “This judgment has very strong implications for every online advertiser and every online platform. It’s not only about Google.”

Google could seek support from rival search engines Yahoo and Bing, with the competition uniting over the concerns such findings will have on the online ad industry. 

ACCC chairman Rod Sims believed the findings resound as a warning to online advertisers.