Words like ‘Apple’ and ‘Orange’ have been trademarked long ago. Now, generic words such as ‘Face’ is going to be trademarked as well. And this time, it’s Facebook.
I’ve always disliked Mark Zuckerberg for some reason. His moves always had something to criticize. As far as I’ve learned from various sources, the idea of social networking, which gave birth to Facebook, was stolen from two of his Harvard’s classmates. But this is not the right post to talk about that.
I was annoyed when I first heard that Facebook is trying to trademark the word ‘Face’ so that nobody can use it. How come? Lawyer and developer of FaceCash Aaron Greenspan says, ‘He just can’t take over a generic word that people use every day.’ I agree with him. This time, Zuckerberg is overdoing things.
Facebook is supposed to sue those websites whose name are like Facebook. Examples include Placebook, Teachbook, etc. Facebook directly contacted Placebook and Teachbook and asked them to change their name. While they probably didn’t state what action Facebook will take if they don’t change their names, it is assumed that they might sue them. In response to such activity of Facebook, TechCrunch published a list of websites whose names are just like Facebook. Their list includes Racebook, DoctorsBook, ScrapBook, CookBook, F**kbook (you know what it means, don’t you? 😉 ) even eBook (their view is “Taking 3 letters off of Facebook’s name is kinda obvious, you dirty parasites“.) I liked their idea. Facebook can’t sue each of them. Or even if they can, I believe they won’t.
Anyway, I’m getting off the topic. Facebook is trying to trademark ‘Face’. Foursquare is trying to trademark ‘check-in’. Now, the question is, what’s next? Which company will try to trademark which word that we probably use every day? That’s the thing to wait for.
Lastly, a comment from TechCrunch’s article about Facebook trying to trademark ‘Face’:
I am so sick of this red-headed, smirking little Jew’s (yeah, I know he’s atheist) FACE. I wish someone would put it in a BOOK and close it. —Lola Falanadana
Further reading
- Facebook is trying to trademark ‘Face’ (money.cnn.com)
- Guess Who Is Trying To Trademark The Word “Face”? (And Guess Who Is Trying To Stop It?) (techcrunch.com)
- Facebook pokes start-up Teachbook with lawsuit (news.cnet.com)
i Also agree with you. This time, Zuckerberg is overdoing things.
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Yea. Someone should put his face into a book and close it. 😀
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hahaha… lol
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WOW…taking over “Face” is a dumb move..FaceBook is worth $15 billion already and Zuckerberg doing this will hurt him even more. FaceBook didn’t do anything to remove the FB group “F*** Islam” and now this…FaceBook is getting less popular.
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I never like this types of trademarking thinking. No body knows what is going to be more popular. The new idea/product/service may collapse previously trademarked idea/product/service.
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If Facebook continues to attempting to trademark the word ‘Face’, they have a difficult battle ahead. Greenspan will file a lawsuit and Facebook will have a hard time defending itself. Greenspan has a extra-long history of winning legal battle about patents and copyrights in the US courts (see the news from CNN money, they have a link to it).
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Facebook is rising up day by day. But Zuckerberg’s move will take it down. And I believe it deserves that.
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