Hotel sues Google over search hint

THE owners of the Ballymascanlon House Hotel in Co Louth have taken a legal action for damages against Google alleging defamation of the hotel’s business and reputation via Google’s web search service.

It is alleged that Google had permitted, since about March 14, 2011, the term “receivership” to automatically appear after the hotel’s trading name in the autocomplete suggestions when a search is carried out.

This suggested the hotel was in receivership or financial difficulty when it was not, the plaintiffs have claimed.