Google has announced its legal action against two entities that have sought to exploit the company’s products and users.
Lawsuit Targets Fraudsters Exploiting AI Hype
The lawsuit primarily focuses on scammers who deceived social media users regarding Bard, Google’s latest AI robot.
Halimah DeLaine Prado, Google’s General Counsel, stated, “Scammers are increasingly exploiting unsuspecting individuals amidst growing public interest in innovative AI technologies.”
These fraudsters ran online ads and social media campaigns prompting users to “download” Bard, a free AI chatbot.
However, instead of delivering the promised chatbot, the malicious actors compromised users’ social media accounts through embedded hyperlinks. Since April, Google has initiated approximately 300 takedowns related to this group.
The lawsuit aims to prevent ransomware distributors from establishing new domains and may set a crucial legal precedent for addressing AI ethics violations.
Google reports scanning billions of applications daily to thwart ransomware and prevent over 100 million phishing attempts.
Small Businesses Suffer from Pervasive Copyright Scams
In another legal action, deceptive parties lodged false trademark claims to sabotage competitors’ websites.
While copyright holders can submit infringement notices through Google’s Copyright takedown process, scammers abused this system by filing claims through multiple Google accounts, resulting in the takedown of over 100,000 business websites.
DeLaine Prado highlighted, “These false claims led to the removal of websites belonging to over 100,000 companies, causing them significant financial losses and thousands of hours of downtime.”
Affected business owners described the impact as catastrophic, leading to closures and job losses. Digital rights advocates warn of the ongoing threat posed by DMCA misuse.
Google Seeks to Establish Standards and Deter Future Abuses
Google aims to deter rights abuse and AI-related scams through these legal actions.
By pursuing appropriate legal recourse and collaborating with governmental authorities, Google aims to bring scammers to justice and create a safer online environment for all users. DeLaine Prado emphasized the importance of holding fraudsters accountable, as they seek to evade detection.
These cases will progress through the legal system, reflecting Google’s commitment to holding the defendants accountable.
