Google has announced plans to change its advertising strategy following a new ruling in the US.

The decision removes the protection service applicable to trademark owners and will allow bidding on previously protected trademark-keywords, according to mad.co.uk.

While Google maintains that the change in policy is a reaction to users' behaviour, some advertisers believe that it is a revenue-gaining move, reflecting the search engine's recent slowdown in click rates, according to the technology news provider.

Bob Wootton, director at the advertising body ISBA, told reporters: "The previous policy made stringent demands of trademark owners, but once these had been met they gave the trademark owner considerable protection.

"The new policy allows all comers to bid for trademarks as if they were any other search term, inevitably raising prices."

The news follows reports this week that Google, Intel and Microsoft have formed a lobby group in an attempt to reverse European Commission regulatory proposals forcing internet-enabled communications to comply with current telephone regulations.


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