Which word is the next trademark target?

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)