Insurer Sues Google in Alabama

An insurer is hoping to use an Alabama state law governing deceptive trade practices to stop Google from prominently displaying negative websites about the company.

American Income Life Insurance Co. has filed suit in the Jefferson County Alabama Circuit Court charging that Google and several websites are violating state law by “intentionally disparaging the goods, services, or business of the plaintiff by false and misleading representations of fact.” At issue are several websites that appear on the first Google page of search results about the company and that contain contents criticizing the insurer’s business practices. Alabama attorney Richard Baxley said the company has sustained significant financial damage in the millions.

Google argues that that it only provides access to websites and it is not its responsibility to remove any allegedly defamatory material from its search results.

The courts have consistently ruled in Google’s favor in similar cases.