But how are these results "fraudulent" or "false"?
It is up to Google to define its results, and the software they use to achieve them. If Google
a) had a contract with another party to develop search engine software; b) that contract said that the results should not be influenced by Quixtar's (or any similar) actions; and c) the results were in fact so influenced
then Google might have a cause of action against that company - but if they themselves develop the software, they cannot claim fraud if the software does exactly what they design it to do. There is no party (except themselves) that has injured them.
Businesses make badly designed products all the time; and when the defects come to light it is there job to make them better, not to complain that the completely legal actions of others are to blame.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, the software does what it was designed to do, just like credit card processing does what it is supposed to do. But if you were (in this instance at least) a bit smarter than Google, or the credit card people and caused something to happen by employing fraud, then the law, which is theoretically always intended to protect the weak against the strong will side with Google (or the credit card people). PAT]