TechCrunch shows that Facebook is in court once more. It doesn’t have to do with them getting sued by TeachBook or PlaceBook by using “book” in its name. The U.K. business called CIS Internet Limited left off with this in 2008, where now Facebook is trying to get “face” to be a trademark name. Facebook wants to move forward with the CIS’s trademark application it bought.
Facebook’s trademark move – a good way to lose face
Facebook’s try to trademark “face” isn’t really a complete surprise. In terms of corporate branding, trademarks are a big deal, but sometimes things get just a little out of hand. The word “ganja” was once in a court case for trade marking. The website Fark.com once attempted to trademark “NSFW.”. Snookie from “The Jersey Shore” also tried to trademark her nickname. None of those people got their trademark. It is likely that Facebook will lose face also.
There isn’t really an approval from Aaron Greenspan
Aaron Greenspan doesn’t think Facebook should be trying to trademark “face.” Aaron Greenspan claims to have made facebook with Mark Zuckerberg. Think Computer is Greenspan’s business that created the mobile payment application called FaceCash. Facebook having the trademark “face” means that Greenspan would end up having to pay Facebook. Apple would end up having to pay also. This is because of the iPhone 4 app Facetime video calling. Products use the word “face” in them all the time. Greenberg, and others, hope to be able to use this name nevertheless without paying.
Facebook-move on
When thinking about how aggressive Facebook has been in the past, seems like unlikely that “face” will be too big to it. Facebook has bigger fish to fry. Perhaps individuals with no corporate aspirations at all will have to be careful, or the Zuckerberg express will enter their homes like a thief within the night and legally claim their faces. Consider the movie “Face/Off” staring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, or even consider the novel “Face of Another” by Kobo Abe. See how much trouble they got into over faces? Then there is the “Dune” books. A Tleilaxu face dancer would have to be worried.
FACE
tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial and amp;entry=78980756
TechCrunch
techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark
