Google Panda Update 25 Seems To Have Hit

There are many webmasters and SEOs believing right now that Google has released an update to their Panda algorithm late yesterday.
We’ve reached out to Google to confirm or deny the Panda update, as we’ve done 24 times previously; but this time, Google told us they are unlikely to confirm future Panda updates since Panda will be incorporated into their indexing processes.

It would not be surprising if this was indeed a Panda update since Matt Cutts, Google’s head of search spam, did say at SMX West that a Panda update will be rolling out this Friday through the weekend. Matt then said although an update is expected this weekend, don’t be surprised if you don’t notice it because the Panda updates are going to be more integrated and less noticeable in the future.

I am not sure if this last push was the last manually updated Panda refresh or if it is already fully integrated into the normal Google indexes process. I think this was Google’s last manual push and they will, from now on, most likely not do manual pushes of the algorithm in the future.

The last Panda update we had confirmation on was Panda 24, so this one would be coined Panda version 25.

Google And Rosetta Stone Agree To Settle Suit Over Trademarked Keywords

One of Google’s most well-funded and tenacious opponents in the legal arena, Rosetta Stone, has agreed to settle its trademark suit against the search giant. The language learning software company had contended that the use of its trademarks as “keyword triggers” infringed trademark law and confused consumers.

Terms of the settlement agreement weren’t disclosed.

The three-year-old case was one of the highest-profile legal battles over a practice that has raised the ire of many trademark holders. In the U.S., Google allows AdWords advertisers to bid on trademarked keywords, so someone searching for “Rosetta Stone” could be served ads for competitors.

News of the settlement is likely to be a disappointment to those who have been closely watching the trademarks-as-keywords issue go through the court system. Because Google has been so successful at settling with detractors, there have been few real rulings to establish legal precedent and answer the question once and for all.

The only case Google has definitively won was decided earlier this month. In that case, Daniel Jurin — who holds the trademark for Styrotrim building materials — was the plaintiff. Jurin reportedly lost his attorney and didn’t respond to Google’s summary judgment motion. With no opposition, Google won easily, with the court saying Jurin didn’t provide sufficient evidence.

Earlier this year, The U.S. Court of Appeals revived part of the Rosetta Stone suit — related to direct infringement, contributory infringement and dilution claims — after a Virginia court had issued a summary judgment in favor of Google in 2010.

Now, the two companies are setting aside their differences to “meaningfully collaborate to combat online ads for counterfeit goods and prevent the misuse and abuse of trademarks on the Internet,” according to a joint press release. Court papers made public late in 2010 revealed that the companies — despite their legal dispute — had already been working together on catching counterfeiters and credit card criminals. Rosetta Stone even praises Google’s Trust and Safety team to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).