Judge Orders Chevron To Halt Google AdWords Campaign
A federal judge in San Francisco presiding over a human rights lawsuit against Chevron by a Nigerian protester has ordered the oil company to stop running a Google AdWords campaign directing Web users to a Chevron site about the case.
Judge Susan Illston issued a gag order on Monday banning both sides from discussing the case publicly. As part of that ruling, she ordered Chevron to stop running an AdWords campaign that used the name of the plaintiff, Larry Bowoto, to trigger ads for a Chevron Web site.
Illston did not order that the ad's landing page--a Chevron Web site that gives the company's take on the case--also be taken down. The Center for Constitutional Rights, which is representing Bowoto, also has statements about the case on its Web site.
The lawsuit stems from a 1998 incident in Nigeria, in which Bowoto led an environmental protest against Chevron. He alleges that the company was complicit with the Nigerian military in brutally squelching the protest. Bowoto, who was shot and wounded, is suing Chevron for human rights violations, racketeering and other charges.
Chevron says on its Web site that Bowoto and other Nigerians took control of an oil platform and held more than 100 workers hostage while demanding money and jobs.
Chevron purchased "Bowoto," "Bowoto Chevron," and "Bowoto lawsuit" as keywords on Google, so that links to Chevron's take on the incident would appear when people searched for information about the case.
Robert Mittelstaedt, a lawyer for Chevron, defended the move, arguing that the top organic results on Google for terms related to Bowoto took people to pages that were favorable to him.
"When one Googles this case," Mittelstaedt argued, "nine or 10 out of the top 11 or 12 hits are to plaintiffs' counsel."
But Illston reportedly said she was more troubled by Chevron's paid search links than the organic ones. "I am concerned about one thing here," she said. "And that is the addition of a sponsored link to Bowoto or Bowoto v. Chevron put out by Chevron. ... To me, that's the same thing as giving statements to the press."
Trial in the lawsuit began this week.
Recent Online Media Daily Articles
-
Consumer Action: Most Consumers Want Control Over Tracking June 18, 8:20 p.m.
Most Web users have expectations about privacy that appear to be at odds with current practices ... -
Affiliate Channels Attract Global Buying, Tailored Marketing Programs June 18, 5:54 p.m.
The Internet continues to make the world smaller for affiliate marketers, but there are physical challenges ... -
Microsoft Rolls Out Ad Pano, Mobile Ad Format June 18, 3:03 p.m.
With the help of the broader ad industry, Microsoft this week is rolling out a mobile ... -
Kiip Debuts Self-Serve Option For Advertisers June 18, 2:23 p.m.
Mobile rewards network Kiip has added a self-serve option for advertisers aimed at attracting more small- and ... -
Mindshare Taps Elkins As Managing Director, Digital, West Coast June 18, 1:51 p.m.
Mindshare, part of WPP's GroupM, has tapped digital marketing veteran Amy Elkins to be managing director, ... -
Blogging Stake: WPP Invests In Muzy June 18, 9:12 a.m.
WPP has taken a stake in Muzy Inc., an early-stage micro-blogging service focused on mobile content ... -
MSN, Newsy Partnership To Debut June 18, 7:40 a.m.
MSN on Tuesday is expected to announce a partnership with mobile-focused video news network Newsy. Similar to ... -
ZO Shaves Global Ad Outlook: Says Internet, Especially Mobile, Will Be Greatest Growth Engines June 18, 7:34 a.m.
The global ad economy now is expected to expand only 3.5% this year, according to the ... -
Google Enhanced Campaigns Increase Cost Per Click June 18, 12:05 a.m.
Search advertisers will need to learn how to compensate for rising costs per click as Google ... -
Publicis Groupe's VivaKi Influences Mass Relevance Social Road Map June 17, 9 p.m.
VivaKi Ventures has gained input into Mass Relevance's product road map to influence features and functions ...
Be the first to comment on "Judge Orders Chevron To Halt Google AdWords Campaign"
Leave a Comment