Hotel Sues Google Over Autocomplete Suggestion

Who knew this could happen, but Google is coming under attack for autocomplete suggestions for an Irish hotel.

The Ballymascanlon House Hotel, Golf and Leisure Club is taking legal action against the search company because they say that potential guests of the hotel, even brides have found the word “receivership” appear during searches for the hotel’s name.

Anyone who doesn’t know the definition of the word, it indicates that some or part of the hotel’s property are being held by a custodian waiting for the repayment of secured debts. Receivership is mostly used by creditors in legislation in the UK, administration of the debtor’s business might even be turned over to the receiver. For this reason it makes the hotel seem that it’s held in debt by someone.

This isn’t the first time that Google’s autocomplete suggestions have gotten them in trouble, usually it will be individuals who find negative terms following their names in queries. The search giant in know to make subtle censorship of certain terms, including those for piracy. Now we know the company has the ability to alter suggestions, and that will probably be the case with this to avoid legal action.

It might be a good idea for Google to put up a DMCA takedown notice-like way to deal with complaints about suggestions.