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Dallas Business Journal:

The explosion of the Internet and social media like Facebook and Twitter has triggered a new wave of legal issues as advertisers and businesses fight to protect their trademarks, drive customers to their websites and prevent competitors from diverting traffic.

Businesses need to have procedures in place to police their trademarks' use online, said Dyan House, a senior associate who specializes in trademarks and copyrights at the Dallas office of Munck Carter LLP.

The procedures can include using outside contractors to check blogs and social networking sites, having employees run regular checks or setting up Google alerts so companies know what's being said about their products or services, as well as who's saying it and where.

"Monitor if your mark is being used and how it's being used," House said, "and take steps to stop unauthorized use."

The steps for dealing with trademark infringement should depend on the seriousness of the misuse, she said.

Companies may take a hard line against infringers who intentionally harm the brand, but take a softer approach with someone who posts a trademark without knowing its prohibited use.

Businesses also should obtain federal trademark registrations, which make it easier to get unauthorized uses removed from the web, House said.

Munck Carter Attorney Dyan House in Dallas Business Journal article

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Google's AdWords service lets advertisers bid on keywords to trigger the display of ads, which are shown in Google search results.

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She called the Internet a "double-edged sword" for brand owners and advertisers.

"You get your name out there so much more easily," Patel said, "but at the same time, infringers can do the same."

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/print-edition/2011/06/24/copyright-trademark-issues-also-at.html

© 2011 American City Business Journals, Inc.