Facebook to Trademark the word 'Face'

cherryghost

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11837939

The social networking giant Facebook is a few steps away from trademarking the word face, online documents reveal


The site has been asked to detail a "statement of use" by the US Patent and Trademark Office, explaining how it intends to use the word.


If granted, the trademark will only apply to online sites and services used to exchange messages.



It could limit the use of the word in other social networks and services, such as Apple's Facetime, lawyers said.

What is the world coming to? If it goes through, my precious Friendface account will be closed

friendface

Not my friendface account?!?!!?!

FatherLen

better get as much in as i can
face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face face

Gunsfortoys

Facekicker will not be pleased.

Biggins

Thats just daftness. Its litigation gone to the stupid extreme.
Christ! A company actually wants to claim ownership to the word "face" !!!!
Pure nuts.

Loughc

Meh. I'm not too bothered by this, I'm going to set up an Acquaintancebook site, I have more Acquaintances than I do friends anyway!

ejmaztec

Gunsfortoys wrote: »

Facekicker will not be pleased.

Arse-kicker will be ok for a while.

DrumSteve

Time for Faecebook.

friendface

cherryghost wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11837939




What is the world coming to? If it goes through, my precious Friendface account will be closed

No worries, I'll just trademark the word book and wait for Mark Zuckerberg to come knocking on my door.

chicken fingers

In many other countries where english is not the first language, facebook is abbreviated to "face" in casual conversation.

Irish Guitarist

That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard since the band The Eagles sued The American Eagle Trust. That might not be their exact name, but they're a charity organisation that protects eagles and The Eagles sued them for using their name.

Cranky Mc Funhouse

Damn! I was just about to register faceboobs.com.

thenightrider

I hope they dont close down cumonherface.com

friendface

chicken fingers wrote: »

In many other countries where english is not the first language, facebook is abbreviated to "face" in casual conversation.

Gives a whole new meaning to being off your face

Saila

google to claim ownership of all houses and buildings featured on streetview

alwaysadub

I see they are stopping people from talking about Lamebook on Facebook too. Surprised they aren't trying to trademark 'book' too

Phony Scott

You can't trademark a word in common usage! Who do Facebook think they are?! :mad::mad::mad: I'll never get Fúckface off the ground now...:p;)

DrumSteve

DrumSteve wrote: »

Time for Faecebook.

Well I for one won't be accepting Flutter in Bantam's friend request.

phill106

Considering the iphones video calling is called facetime, I can see him launching a rather staunch defence against this.

ejmaztec

It's just as stupid as when Donald Trump tried to register "You're Fired", and didn't succeed.

curlzy

Just so you all know, you can't trademark a word, you can trademark a word written in a particular way (i.e. McDonalds with the golden arches etc) but not the actual word. :rolleyes: You guys really will get angry over anything won't you?

iPlop

curlzy wrote: »

Just so you all know, you can't trademark a word, you can trademark a word written in a particular way (i.e. McDonalds with the golden arches etc) but not the actual word. :rolleyes: You guys really will get angry over anything won't you?

What about "FAP"?

phill106

curlzy wrote: »

Just so you all know, you can't trademark a word, you can trademark a word written in a particular way (i.e. McDonalds with the golden arches etc) but not the actual word. :rolleyes: You guys really will get angry over anything won't you?

So i could launch a sony iphone with no problem, as long as i didn't use the same font as either company? Handy!

Gunsfortoys

DrumSteve wrote: »

Time for Faecebook.

Thats sounds like shit.

Saila

ejmaztec wrote: »

It's just as stupid as when Donald Trump tried to register "You're Fired", and didn't succeed.

well when you more money than you know what to with, you might as well be an even bigger wanker

ronkmonster

friendface wrote: »

No worries, I'll just trademark the word book and wait for Mark Zuckerberg to come knocking on my door.

They are already tried to get that too
(Near the end of this)
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/24/facebook-plans-trademark-word-face/

pickarooney

This sounds like a job for the A-Team.

Duggy747

What about Facebook Of Sex :eek:

I find it strange that people and companies come along and try to trademark words or colours :pac: What I don't find funny is when they're allowed to have them trademarked :mad:

Sometimes I wish I'd wake up one morning and the Facebook fad just vanished...

Why am I in the wrong if I don't write things on people's Facebook? Jesus, you vain bastards.

AnonoBoy

I presume they'll only be able to copyright it in relation to social networking sites.

So no more FaceFiend, Facebuck or FaceBuke.


Surely they won't be able to prevent me from using the all-time classic putdown "So's Yer Face!"

ronkmonster

Yup it's just in relation to naming any online communication service.

jimthemental

DrumSteve wrote: »

Time for Faecebook.

Damn you, I had that one on the backburner for a while:D

longshanks

I'm about to trademark full stops, the letter w, and the @ symbol.

Fuck you Zuckerburg.

krudler

Should provide ample material for The Social Network 2: Whats This Cnut Upto Now?

dr.bollocko

I'm in the middle of trademarking the word fist for my numerous online endeavours.
Anyone got a spare cushion?

Captain Darling

Doesnt it look like a face Father?:D

storm2811

Didn't lamebook get in trouble with facebook a while ago simply for being called "lamebook"?

Johro

Face..? Bovvered...?

alwaysadub

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I'm in the middle of trademarking the word fist for my numerous online endeavours.
Anyone got a spare cushion?

An ordinary cushion or an almighty cushion?

CoalBucket

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ScumLord

"Apple's Facetime"

If it stops companies coming up with shamefully shallow attempts to cash in like "facetime" I'm all for it.

starbelgrade

Biggins wrote: »

Thats just daftness. Its litigation gone to the stupid extreme.
Christ! A company actually wants to claim ownership to the word "face" !!!!
Pure nuts.

It's actually a very common occurance in trademark law.

Common words and letters can be protectable trademarks if they are used in arbitrary or unusual ways.

For example, you cannot use the word DIESEL to sell that type of fuel, otherwise no other diesel fuel dealer could use the word to identify the product.

However, DIESEL can be used to trademark as a brand of clothes. The owner of the clothes company can't use its rights to prevent fuel dealers from using the word to sell diesel, nor can it prevent anyone else from using the word for non-trademark purposes, such as a website listing diesel fuel dealers, or prevent people from using it in everyday speak or print.

The same applies to the likes of APPLE.

So, in short, Facebook could trademark FACE, but it doesn't mean they own the word.

And on the other end of things, some trademark names, such as HOOVER or ASPIRIN, have lost their trademark protection in many countries, as they have been accepted into common language as generic words.

So while trademarking might appear to be able to "steal" words from our language, it cannot happen & more so, it is only possible for the reverse to happen - ie., language steals trademark names & turns them into words.

pickarooney

starbelgrade wrote: »

The same applies to the likes of APPLE.

The same Apple that ran roughshod over Apple Records when setting up their own online music store?

starbelgrade

pickarooney wrote: »

The same Apple that ran roughshod over Apple Records when setting up their own online music store?

Yes. I don't know a whole lot about that case to be honest.

Sticky_Fingers

curlzy wrote: »

Just so you all know, you can't trademark a word, you can trademark a word written in a particular way (i.e. McDonalds with the golden arches etc) but not the actual word. :rolleyes: You guys really will get angry over anything won't you?

Yes you can, take a look at the antics of Tim Langdell who claimed the trademark on the work Edge. He want around suing games companies for using the work in their titles and made some money out of it until he tried to sue EA Games (spits on floor) over the title of Mirrors Edge. EA counter sued and it turns out he lied about having the trademark and falsified documents, the judge going as far as calling him a troll in his judgment:P.
He's probably now going to be sued back into the stone age by all the companies he targeted.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/10/07/edge-of-our-seats-langdell-going-down/