A question for the legal experts: when I do a linked search (yeah yeah, I know you're not supposed to constantly search for yourself, it's bad for your self-esteem), an AdWord for www.buecher-cd-dvd.de shows up quite frequently. This domain is just an eBay redirector with a — incorrectly configured — search for eBay listings. Pretty pathetic. But what actually really interests me: is it even okay under German law for someone to run ads on Google under the names of other people? Isn't my reputation (okay, I don't have one, but let's say I did) being exploited to place products (yeah yeah, in this case products aren't even being placed, just a silly redirect to eBay is set up, but let's say that ...) ?
No, I'm not planning to sue anyone. Too stressful and too stupid for me. I'm just interested in whether this silly trademark/trade name/name/whatever law would actually be useful for something if it were relevant at all ...
Oh, and yes, I'm currently bugging Google about the fact that they create possibilities for users to contact advertisers directly. Because somehow it's absurd that Google in disputes refers you to contacting the advertiser — and nowhere is this advertiser named. Of course nothing will come of it, Google has never responded to sensible suggestions. But at least this way I have something I can publish to document how arrogant Google is.
Since it's a pure eBay redirection, the site has no impressum anyway. And since it's running AdWords, it's clearly operating commercially, right? If so: if someone wants to send a cease-and-desist letter, fire away ...