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Founders seize on Indian court ruling to revive criticism of Google’s ad business

Published

3 months ago

May 30, 2026

Preport

A recent Indian court ruling against Google’s keyword advertising practices has gained fresh attention after founders said competitors have long used the system to siphon off customers and force companies to pay to protect their own brands.

The ruling, delivered by the Delhi High Court on May 22 in a trademark dispute involving bathroom fittings maker Hindware, found Google liable for trademark infringement over its keyword advertising practices and awarded the company ₹3 million (around $31,600) in nominal damages.

In her 163-page judgment (PDF), Justice Mini Pushkarna rejected Google’s argument that it was merely a passive intermediary in serving ads on its search platform. The judge said Google, through its AdWords platform, allowed Hindware’s rivals to use “Hindware” as a keyword to target users searching for the brand.

“Google by selling the trademark of the plaintiff [Hindware] as a keyword without any authorization for commercial gains is infringing the plaintiff’s right to exclusive use of its trademark under Section 28 of the Trade Marks Act,” the judge said.

The judgment drew attention on Friday after Indian entrepreneurs, including Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath and Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu, publicly backed the ruling, arguing that competitors have long used Google’s advertising tools to divert traffic from established brands and force companies to spend money protecting their own names.

Kamath, who said Zerodha had faced the issue for more than a decade, wrote on X: “Whenever someone searches for ‘Zerodha,’ the traffic should rightfully come to Zerodha. But what often happens is that the first couple of results on Google Search are ads, leading the customer to a competitor’s website.”

Google, for its part, said its Ads policy on trademark keywords “does not allow competitor advertisers to use trademarked terms in the ad-text of an ad” and that the policy is applied globally.

“We look forward to continuing to align our operations with local legal frameworks while maintaining strict standards to protect our users’ long-term interests,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement to TechCrunch.

India is a key market for Google, with more internet users than any country other than China, making court decisions affecting its search and advertising businesses particularly significant.

Legal experts, however, said the implications of the ruling may be narrower than some of the public reaction suggests.

“The judgment per se will require platforms to relook at their processes to see if their automated tools encourage or offer trademarked terms to advertisers at large,” said Aprajita Rana, a partner at AZB & Partners.

Nonetheless, Rana told TechCrunch that the decision does not have a “far-reaching impact” on online platforms’ liability in India, as courts have already established that internet companies can lose legal protections when they play an active role in unlawful activity.

“What’s important in this case is how providing access to trademarked terms, even in ad curation that’s between online platforms and advertisers and not known to customers, can amount to a participative activity for platforms,” Rana said.

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Related Topics:business Court criticism founders Googles Indian Revive ruling seize

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‘We Need Unity and Professionalism’ — Dimkpa Unveils Blueprint to Rebuild Nigerian Karate

Published

22 minutes ago

August 18, 2026

Preport

Newly elected Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) President, Dr Chukwudi Dimkpa, has unveiled an ambitious roadmap aimed at repositioning Nigerian karate through stronger administration, grassroots development and improved international competitiveness.

Dimkpa said his immediate priority is to reunite stakeholders within Nigerian karate and establish a clear strategic direction for the federation. He plans to convene the new board to begin implementing the federation’s development agenda.

The new president also wants the federation to establish a sustainable pathway for athletes to progress from grassroots participation to elite competition, while improving opportunities for young karatekas across the country.

“Our athletes deserve a united Federation. Our coaches deserve an enabling environment. Our officials deserve the support to perform effectively.”

Focus on Coaches and Technical Officials

A major part of Dimkpa’s plan is strengthening the technical side of Nigerian karate.

The federation intends to introduce continuous education and certification programmes for coaches, referees and technical officials, with the aim of improving standards and ensuring Nigerian representatives can compete effectively at continental and global events.

Dimkpa also identified collaboration with the National Sports Commission, Union of African Karate Federations (UFAK), World Karate Federation (WKF), state associations and development partners as important to achieving the federation’s objectives.

International Competitions and Domestic Development

The federation has already begun preparing for upcoming international competitions, including the Japanese Ambassador’s Cup and UFAK Championships.

More recently, the KFN board approved the establishment of a Nigerian Karate League, designed to provide a structured domestic competition and create more opportunities for athletes to compete regularly in Nigeria. The board also approved a one-year activity calendar running from August 2026 to August 2027.

Nigeria is also scheduled to participate in the 2026 UFAK African Championship in Algeria from September 6 to 13, with the federation directing its technical and administrative officials to begin preparations for the competition.

Governance and Accountability

Dimkpa has also placed emphasis on improving the federation’s governance, promising greater transparency, accountability and professionalism.

The new administration is seeking to strengthen sponsorship and partnerships to improve funding, athlete welfare and infrastructure, while ensuring official federation activities are managed through clearly defined structures.

The KFN board’s inaugural meeting has already resulted in the creation of several committees covering areas such as marketing and sponsorship, competitions, ethics, youth and women, technical development and refereeing.

Dimkpa believes the federation’s success should not be measured solely by the number of medals won, but also by the strength of its institutions, the quality of its programmes and the opportunities created for athletes and other stakeholders.

The new administration has therefore placed unity, grassroots development, technical improvement and stronger governance at the centre of its plan to rebuild Nigerian karate.

Business

May & Baker disowns ‘fraudulent M&B Equity Stake’ investment scheme

Published

1 hour ago

August 18, 2026

Preport

May & Baker Nigeria Plc has dissociated itself from the ‘M&B Equity Stake’ investment scheme, noting that the purported investment opportunity is fraudulent and unauthorised by the company.

The company disclosed this in a regulatory filing signed by Adetoun Abiru, Secretary of Marina Nominees Limited, on Tuesday, urging the investing public to disregard promotional materials that promise daily or guaranteed returns for the equity stake.

This followed the circulation of “fraudulent materials” through social media, messaging applications and other online platforms, purporting to offer an investment opportunity described as an “M&B Equity Stake.”

“The company hereby unequivocally dissociates itself, its subsidiaries and affiliates from the purported ‘M&B Equity Stake’ investment scheme and any person, platform, website, group, publication or other communication promoting or soliciting funds in connection with the scheme,” May & Baker said.

The consumer foods manufacturer stated that any person, platform, flier, message, website or other communication soliciting funds under the guise of May & Baker Nigeria Plc is unauthorised and was not issued by or on behalf of the company.

It advised Nigerians to disregard the communications, refrain from making any payment or disclosing personal information in response to the ‘M&B Equity Stake’ investment materials.

“Report any such fraudulent activity to the appropriate authorities,” the pharmaceutical and beverage company said, urging the investing public not to disclose their financial information to anyone.

The company confirmed that it is not currently undertaking any Rights Issue, Public Offer or other capital-raising exercise involving the solicitation of investments from the public.

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“Any future capital-raising exercise will be formally communicated through the Company’s authorised communication channels and conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and the requirements of the Nigerian Exchange Limited and other relevant regulatory authorities,” the company added.

It further urged its shareholders, customers, employees and members of the general public to remain vigilant and verify any purported investment opportunity or communication relating to the company through its official communication channels before taking any action.