Google has successfully defended its use of ‘Shorts’ in the UK court.
- The case was initiated by Shorts International, a short film distributor.
- Shorts International claimed brand confusion and reputation dilution.
- The court ruled there is no likelihood of confusion caused by Google’s branding.
- Google’s use of ‘Shorts’ does not harm Shorts International’s trademarks.
Google has emerged victorious in a UK legal battle concerning its YouTube Shorts branding. The dispute was initiated by Shorts International, a London-based distributor specialising in short films, which argued that YouTube’s adaptation of the term ‘Shorts’ for its video platform caused confusion and negatively impacted their brand’s reputation.
Shorts International has maintained that its identity has been overshadowed due to Google’s expansive reach in the digital market, where pervasive advertising and product availability have significantly diminished the distinctiveness of its services. According to their legal team, Shorts International was the pioneer in the short film television space since launching in 2007.
Presiding over the case, Judge Michael Tappin from the British High Court determined that Google’s usage of the term ‘Shorts’ does not lead to public misconception regarding the origin of services. Although he acknowledged the branding similarities, he concluded that Google’s actions do not damage the unique character or reputation of Shorts International’s trademark.
Furthermore, the court concluded that Google’s branding does not misrepresent its services as being affiliated with or authorised by Shorts International. This verdict allows Google to continue leveraging the Shorts brand in association with its platform, which has seen substantial growth since its 2020 introduction, now amassing approximately two billion users and generating daily views exceeding 30 billion, according to Alphabet.
Since its inception, YouTube Shorts has provided a platform for infinite scrolling of short-form videos, mimicking the wildly successful format popularised by TikTok. Despite Shorts International’s standing as an established short film channel, this ruling confirms that the overlap in nomenclature does not constitute infringements as per the court’s findings.
This ruling firmly establishes Google’s right to use the ‘Shorts’ branding, undeterred by claims of trademark confusion.
