Who's Google to tell us how to use verbs?

Feel free to "run a Google search" on that hottie you met last night, but don't go "googling" him or her.

That's what Google is saying in legal letters recently sent to media outlets as part of an effort to crack down on the use of its brand name as a generic verb, according to recent stories in the Washington Post, The Independent and Silicon.com, among others.

Some bloggers are siding with Google, arguing that the search giant is perfectly justified in trying to avoid the dilution of its brand name. Others, however, resent being told how to use a word, which happens to already be in the dictionary. Some also found it interesting that a company planning to put every published book on the Web is whining about trademark problems.

Blog community response:

"I can understand Google's rationale--brand protection and trademark protection. I've met many, many people in the last year, though, that use the word 'google' as a verb, which tells me just how powerful Google's brand is...Although Google must protect its trademark and patent portfolio, it can only benefit from consumers, companies and educators using the word "google" as a verb to describe internet searching."
--Blogging Stocks

"Isn't it odd that Google.com accepted the use of its trademark into the dictionary--then wants to give companies a hard time about actually using the word. Besides, 'Google' was accepted into the dictionary as a VERB--NOT a noun. The so-called appropriate uses are nouns, while the so-called inappropriate uses are verbs. Ridiculous! BTW, I googled this topic in order to provide information for this posting."
--Sope-Bocks

"What's next, Humprey (sic) Bogart's estate suing over 'don't bogart that joint?' Google needs to get a life."
--A Mama's Rant

"Protecting a trademark against dilution, however, rarely works. The root cause of trademark dilution is usually a mass effect of linguistic shifts within society--and language is very difficult to legislate. Will Google actively pursue every incorrect use of their name? No. They have registered protest, and hopefully that will be as far as they take the issue. Anything further, in my opinion, would be wasted effort."
--inter:digital strategies

"Google obviously works under different standards. It is concerned about its trademark but at the same time it plans to put on to the web every book ever published. It claims it does not tolerate censorship and it supports free flow of information, but at the same time it worked out and agreement with the Chinese communist government to censor web sites under search terms such as 'tiananmen' only to guarantee its commercial interest in China."
--Daw Web Hosting Blog