The Labour Party has pulled down social media posts after Google got in touch about the use of its branding.
The party's social media accounts over the weekend shared a post showing a Google search bar with the company's logo above it.
Written in the search bar was the text: "Labour will help with the cost of living by". Underneath was a list of autocomplete predictions that highlighted Labour's cost of living policies, including "removing GST from fruit and vege" and "safeguarding free prescriptions".
The caption for the image read: "No need to look this one up."
Newshub contacted Labour on Monday to ask if the party had permission from Google to use its logo in its social media posts.
Google's brand guidelines state that the logo can only be used if the user has an existing partnership or sponsorship with Google and there has been formal approval from the company. Google's website says the use of the logo shouldn't suggest affiliation, endorsement or sponsorship.
The party didn't initially respond to Newshub.
Newshub asked Google on Tuesday if Labour's use of its logo was appropriate.
A Google spokesperson told Newshub: "Google has clear guidelines on how our brand can be used. We've reached out to Labour to share our feedback with them."
The party's Instagram post was then removed, but the post on its Twitter account remained online until Wednesday morning when Newshub again contacted Labour about the post.
The Twitter post was then removed.
A Labour campaign spokesperson then said: "The post was a common meme format. We have removed it at Google's request."
Issues around copyright and brands aren't new to political parties.
Earlier this year, the National Party removed a large number of TikTok videos that featured movie content after Newshub contacted film studios asking whether the party had their permission to use their material.
In 2017, National was found to have breached copyright for using the 'Eminem Esque' song in a 2014 campaign advertisement that rapper Eminem's label said was a rip-off of his 'Lose Yourself'.
Last year, Newshub also revealed National had pulled an Instagram video that used a Katy Perry song. The company behind the song asked the party to remove it.
Other parties like ACT and the Greens have also used television and film content in meme formats on social media.
ACT has said it only does this "in passing" and while it believes its material is fair use, it would deal with any objections on a case-by-case basic. The Greens also said its use of content in meme formats was a "unique, fun, and effective way to communicate online."
