When I pulled out the newspaper today, I cringed when I read the front-page story on Utah passing a law to ban comparative search-based advertising on the Web.
Yep, you heard me right Utah just passed a law that makes it illegal to do what Google is doing.
I bet the Googlites are shaking in their boots right now. (yeah, right)
The funny thing is Utah’s very own General Counsel warned the legislature that the law was most likely unconstitutional and would be overthrown due to the burden it places on interstate commerce and the Web in general. I’m sad to learn that our Governor, who I have generally respected, dismissed the solid counsel (which he obviously needed) and sank to this level of ignorance and/or corporate back-scratching.
The whole thing is absurd — I feel embarrassed for my state government today.