Click Fraud Settlement Approved

Click Fraud Settlement Approved: An Arkansas state judge on Wednesday granted final approval to a class-action settlement between Google and advertisers who alleged Google allowed third parties to drive up fees by fraudulent use of its Web search advertising system. Google will have to pay up to $90 million in online credits to customers and legal fees, according to court documents. The Google settlement hearing is part of a broader legal action by plaintiff Lane's Gifts and Collectibles originally filed in February 2005 against Internet advertising industry players over the issue of so-called "click fraud". However, in March, Google broke ranks with its pay=per-click competitors electing to pay up to $90 million in a settlement. In June Yahoo reached a preliminary settlement in a separate "click fraud" lawsuit filed in California.