Facebook one step away from trademarking 'Face'

[tysroby]

Facebook is just one step away from trademarking the word “Face.” As of Tuesday (November 23), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has sent the social networking site a Notice of Allowance, which means they have agreed to grant the “Face” trademark to Facebook when used in the context of online chat rooms or bulletin boards. To get the final approval, Facebook now has to file a Statement of Use that says it will use the trademark in commerce.

The trademark would only apply to Facebook's business as a provider of "telecommunication services, namely providing online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among computer users in the field of general interest and concerning social and entertainment subject matter, none primarily featuring or relating to motoring or to cars." I have no idea what’s with the “related to motoring or cars” restriction, but that’s what the official text says.

The events that resulted in Facebook’s attempt to trademark the word ‘Face’ where set into motion all the way back in 2005. That year, on December 1, the ‘Face’ mark was applied for by a UK company called CIS Internet Limited, which does business as Faceparty.com (launched in 2000). The original application covered everything from festival planning to dating services to text message systems, and around October 2008 CIS filed to split the various categories up into separate applications - one of which was for online chat rooms. That application was then immediately taken over by Facebook on November 7, purchasing the trademark application as well.

What is a trademark? If you permit me to quote Wikipedia, then “A trademark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities. A trademark is typically a name, word, phrase, logo, symbol, design, image, or a combination of these elements. There is also a range of non-conventional trademarks comprising marks which do not fall into these standard categories, such as those based on color, smell, or sound.”

Throughout its existence Facebook has never hesitated to go after companies it believes were trying that to piggyback on its popularity through its name. In August, for instance, the company sued Teachbook, over its use of the word "book." Teachbook is a social network for teachers. That same month, travel Web site Placebook changed its name to TripTrace after being contacted by Facebook. More recently, Lamebook, which has built an online parody of Facebook that contains funny comments and pictures found on the site, sued Facebook as a preemptive legal strike. The suit followed months of failed negotiations. Facebook countersued within days.

So, considering Facebook’s legal battles to defend its name, the trademarking of the very common word ‘face’ shouldn’t come as such a big surprise. If you would like to find out detailed information about this procedure, you may take a look at the application history.

Source: InformationWeek

[DKT27]

Moved to Tech News.

[myidisbb]

this is a bs trademark. all coming from a company that was illegal to begin with. when he sold myspace the new owners of myspace should sued and hired a assassain on that jackazz. facebook is nice but i give a damn about them. they need to lose and go bye bye. along with google.

nothing pisses me off more then illegal abusive patents, copyrights and trademarks. they are worst then microsoft

[tysroby]

Next: YouTube will demand to trademark the word 'You' :)

[Atasas]

this is a bs trademark.  all coming from a company that was illegal to begin with.  when he sold myspace the new owners of myspace should sued and hired a assassain on that jackazz.  facebook is nice but i give a damn about them.  they need to lose and go bye bye.  along with google.

nothing pisses me off more then illegal abusive patents, copyrights and trademarks.  they are worst then microsoft

:angry:

Next: YouTube will demand to trademark the word 'You' :)

:blink:

[DKT27]

Microsoft: Micro.

Apple: App.

Google: Goo. :P

[HX1]

MicroAppGooNix... sounds like the next infection.. :lmao: Maybe they could trademark my nick for it.. ' FacialHooker '

[tysroby]

:rofl:

[SIRavecavec]

What $ can do.