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...