Publisher claims search engines leave it naked in protecting copyrights.

Playboy feels exposed and doesn_t like it one bit. Playboy Enterprises Inc. is suing two of the Internet_s biggest names - Netscape and Excite - charging the sites leave the publisher naked when it comes to protecting its trademarks online. In the suits filed Friday in California, Playboy alleges that the Internet gateways infringe Playboy_s copyrights in the way they deliver search results. The suits - the latest example of Playboy aggressively defending its trademarks - could break new ground for companies trying to protect their brands in cyberspace, experts in the field said. In the suits, Playboy claims that ads and other links to non-Playboy sites that come up from searches for "Playboy" confuse consumers and hurt its trademarks. The suits also say Excite and Netscape in effect hijack Playboy_s name and profit from it by charging higher rates for "banner" ads from other companies that appear on the search results pages. Playboy wants the companies to stop infringing its trademarks by directing users to other sites with adult material. Playboy says in the suits it has spent millions building and promoting its brands and seeks unspecified damages. Netscape and Excite declined to comment on the suits.