What We're Reading
Excite News: Cigarette makers sue FDA over tobacco review
Two of the nation's largest cigarette makers on Friday asked a federal court to stop the Food and Drug Administration from relying on recommendations made by an advisory panel on issues such as menthol cigarettes.
Press of Atlantic City: Gov. Chris Christie vetoes online gambling bill, citing constitutional
Gov. Chris Christie vetoed Thursday a bill that would have created the first-ever intrastate online gaming system, declaring it would break the state's constitutional limits that keep gambling in Atlantic City.
NY Times: F.T.C. to Take Another Look at Alcohol Ads
For the fourth time in 12 years, the Federal Trade Commission plans to study the effectiveness of the voluntary guidelines followed by most marketers of alcoholic beverages. The guidelines are intended primarily to reduce the exposure of advertising to those under the legal drinking age.
paidContent.org: Appeals Court: Buying Keyword Ads Based On a Competitor’s Name Is OK
Buying advertisements tied to words that users type into search bars on Google (NSDQ: GOOG) or Bing has become a multibillion-dollar industry, and a big chunk of those ads are paid for by companies looking to peel off consumers searching for their competitors. But the purchasing of ad “keywords” that are also the trademarks of a competitor has always been dogged by legal questions and challenges. Google itself has been sued more than a dozen times over its practice of selling trademarked keywords to advertisers; and the number of lawsuits between competitors is likely even higher than that. For all the litigation in this space, though, federal appeals courts—the courts that, together with the Supreme Court, create binding precedent—haven’t said much about the practice. Today, a California federal appeals court finally spoke.
Excite News: Cigarette displays to be banned in English stores
The cigarette packs piled into prominent displays behind store counters and supermarket checkouts in England can't be missed. They occupy prime retail real estate, helping to keep addicts hooked and quitters tempted.
But the government announced a ban on them Wednesday, a move that will keep cigarettes hidden away and make it just a tad more difficult for smokers to find their fix.
