[governance] Google vs Doogle: Internet Goliath threatens young South African

[Chaitanya Dhareshwar]

It'll be great if there's a suit and he wins it and ends up a millionaire
(albeit at poor google's expense :)

-C

On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 11:09 PM, Riaz K Tayob <riaz.tayob at gmail.com> wrote:

>  Google vs Doogle: Internet Goliath threatens young South African
>
> The internet super giant has threatened legal action against a tiny
> jobseeker website run by a 23-year-old South African.
>
> By Jenni Smout <http://www.thesouthafrican.com/author/jenni-smout> on 29
> November, 2012 4:33 pm in Highlights and Special Offers<http://www.thesouthafrican.com/highlights-and-special-offers>,
> News <http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news> / no comments<http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm#commentspost>
>
> ****
> <http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm#>
> <http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm#>
> http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm<http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm#>
>
>
>
> <http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/google-vs-doogle-internet-goliath-threatens-young-south-african.htm/attachment/doogle>
>
> Andries Maree van der Merwe from Mpumalanga received a letter from
> Google’s lawyers ordering him to either shut down or change the name and
> logo of his website Doogle. The site, set up in January 2011, allows those
> searching for work to upload their details for free and browse online
> directories.
>
> The website was set up after Van der Merwe dropped out of school  aged 16
> and worked as a street vendor. “I sold newspapers on street corners and
> people told me what was wrong,” he recalled. “They wanted a place where
> they could go to find a job.”
>
> After Van der Merwe had an idea for the website he bought a computer for
> R600 from a pawn shop. The website is slowly growing, having recently
> received its millionth hit, but  not yet making any money. “Sometimes I
> have to catch fish from the river to eat. But I think God is with me,” he
> said.
>
> Google, worth an estimated £160bn with 7.2 billion hits a day, has
> complained that his logo and search engine infringe its trademark and there
> is a danger that users will assume Doogle is associated with Google.
>
> Van der Merwe has offered to put a notice on the site, distancing Doogle
> from Google. Google’s spokesperson in South Africa was unable to comment
> directly on the case, but stated “we are passionate about protecting the
> reputation of our brand”.
>
> Yet the South African remains defiant. “I’m not giving up my name. Doogle
> is who I am. It’s my business. I registered the company and legally
> acquired the domain.” His lawyer Emmie de Kock described it as “a possible
> David-Goliath style battle”.
>
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