Facebook is Thankful To The Trademark Office As They Get Awarded A Trademark On “Face”

by 26 Comments

According to TechCrunch.com Facebook.com has been awarded a trademark on the word “Face”.

The trademark is for:

“usages in “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.”

We have reported on Facebook is taking legal action for trademark infringement  against Faceporn.com,  TeachBook.com and  Lamebook.com

Looks like there will be more to come.

TechCrunch seemed quite surprised that the trademark office awarded a trademark in a one word generic term but I’m not sure why as we have said for quite a while almost every word, every  2 letter and 3 letter combo and phrase or saying is trademarked.

Even the letter “f” is trademarked

There are 4 trademarks on “F” and none are owned by Facebook

Comments

  4. Verb://Adjective.Noun
    …
    “In grammar, an adjective is a word whose main syntactic role is to modify a noun or pronoun, giving more information about the noun or pronoun’s referent. Collectively, adjectives form one of the traditional English eight parts of speech, though linguists today distinguish adjectives from words such as determiners that also used to be considered adjectives.”
    …
    Why would the owner of the FACE trademark think they also own the LAME trademark ?

    Reply

  5. Facebook doesnt deserve crap. What a sucky system and a waste of precious time. And, oh, @The Red Shuttle: if you do own “face” names, then tell Facebook to suck on eggs.

    Reply

  7. Bad decision. Now anyone using the name “face” in their domain or business name relating to social media are in danger of losing it??? That’s bull**$t.
    I checked a common English phrase that is used very often. Face to Face. Facetoface.com is a dating, social conection site. Letting a company steal or attempt to steal these peoples domain is outrageous. Any association or organization that lets companies high-jack generic words and phrases is or should be criminal.
    Hopefully karma will wipe these types of corporate parasites out.
    Cheers.

    Reply

  11. also, it is unclear why FB wants a TM for the word “face” but not for the word “book”, so, we can register (and TM) dozens social network’s domain names that end with “book”

    Reply

  12. It’s probably so they can brand the term forward, ala Apple doing so with the letter “I” (although they lost the battle to TM it).

    Reply

  14. FB wants a TM for the word “face” but not for the word “book”
    ====

    Trademarks are supposed to be Adjectives

    Book is generally considered a NOUN

    FACE is also generally considered to be a Noun

    FACE.OFF
    FACE.TIME

    LEVIS.DELI
    LEVIS.JEANS

    Reply

  15. Holidays always bring out what is really going on…

    FACE is the new F Word for KIDS

    Recent true story – now viral insider’s story…

    Some Tweens FINALLY got their DAD to start using Face.Book…
    …
    One of the Tweens apparently sent DAD a message – WTF ??? dad is using Face.Book???
    …
    DAD replied….What does WTF mean ?
    …
    Tween replied….Welcome To FaceBook 🙂

    Reply

  17. Jim

    I certainly wish no ill will upon you, but if Facebook does come after that domain rightly or wrongly I hope you have some deep pockets for legal fees

    Reply

  18. “I own, Face.tv.”
    ===

    In the future, with S.C.U.B.A DNS that may be true. You would have a box you can hold in your hands with the FACE.TV domain burned into the Flash Memory.

    At the moment, Verisign would likely claim to have some “control” of FACE.TV.
    Registries have been well-insulated from getting involved in expensive legal tug-of-wars over domains. Registrars are the stooges sacrificed to the kangaroo courts.

    Some may claim some king on a small island in the Pacific Ocean owns FACE.TV but that island is disappearing under the rising seas.

    You may need S.C.U.B.A DNS sooner than you think.

    Reply

  19. Mike,

    I faced the same thing with CNN in 2000, with my domain, HeadlineNews.tv. They had no case, but claimed trademark, threatened me , legal action, etc. I had my lawyer send them a letter explaining the law here, and then CNN offered to come back to buy my name with a lowball offer. Did not sell, and still have the name 10 years later. Never heard from CNN again. I don’t know why this would be different.

    As long as I don’t use Face.tv as a social networking type site, I don’t see what case they have. I been getting offers for the name lately as well, and I assume people are looking to use it for cosmetic/makeovers, site. This would be real bad for the domain industry if we see this trend continue. Maybe, Barnes%Nobile should sue Facebook.com for using “Book”, since they own Book.com????

    Reply

  20. “This would be real bad for the domain industry if we see this trend continue.”
    ===

    Most people in the world and even hard-core Internet techies do not consider that a “domain industry” exists (or should exist).

    A more likely scenario for FACE.TV will be to get caught up in the TV Industry movements. THEY have little if any history with the DNS, the “domain industry, or the Internet in general. They have money, advertisers and viewers. When they get fed up with the .TV domain silliness, they will take the whole thing and start over. It will be Their Way or the HighWay.

    Pay careful attention to the New ICANN Top Level Domain “process”. Despite people’s naive claims that 2-letter ASCII TLDs will not be involved, don’t kid yourself. The TV Industry will be part of the “Multi-Stakeholder” game and calling the shots as others are pushed aside.

    That process will put ALL .TV domains back to square one. The Born-Again TV Industry with THEIR .TV top level domain may allow you to bid for FACE.TV in their auction. Your prior history with FACE.TV may get you one of the cushioned chairs in the front row. They may even toss in lunch and some wine tasting while you wait. The TV Industry likes to socialize in style, like ICANN.

    …bring your check.BOOK

    Reply

  21. What about Geo domains. I own over 50 Geo’s .coms related to real estate. For example, SanDiegoForclosures.com, ForeclosuresFlorida.com, and many others I had since 1998. Do both San Diego and Florida going have a right to my names. What about Spain.tv, England.tv, UK.tv, Moscow.tv, Europe.tv, all which I own and have had some big offers for already, should I worry about those cities, countries claiming trademark on those names? Domainers need to united and not let this happen or we are all screwed!!!!

    Reply

  22. “Domainers need to united and not let this happen or we are all screwed!!!!”
    ===

    If you take a quick tour of the Global Internet Governance arena, you may be shocked to discover that many of the self-appointed Leaders, Movers, Shakers, Social Savants, etc. DO NOT OWN ANY DOMAINS !!!!

    THEY could not care less about your rights, your domains, etc.

    THEY are interested in million dollar salaries, unlimited travel around the world and FACE-to-FACE social networking.

    Domainers are so far down the food chain in their view of the Eco.System it is not relevant. Take a tour some time. Attend some of their social events. The Internet and Netizens and Domainers and ISPs and webmasters are not involved. It is all back-slappers and FACE.People(tm).

    Reply

  23. Nothing surprises me anymore. What is fair and right, does not always win!!! I have not looked at all of this, but it does surprise me. I was joking with a friend the other day, maybe I should just sell out get a boat and move to the Cayman Islands:) Maybe, that will be a realty and not a joke sooner than I think.

    Reply

  24. “Nothing surprises me anymore. What is fair and right, does not always win!!! ”
    ===

    Take of tour of the past history of THE.ROYALs from Great Britain. Some people accept that as a given. Others wallow in that glory. It is hard for some to comprehend such a society still exists on Earth. The Press wait for any shred of news to drive their eyeball networks.

    THE.RoYals of the .NET have their Eco.System. “Fair and Right” are not even concepts. Everything is Fair and Right they do, they define it to be that way.
    Winning is also not a concept. They always win but for them it is not a contest
    therefore, there is no winner. They do not compete, they dictate. They direct.
    They are the self-appointed ROYALS. The press wait for their spin to publish
    as news.

    There are many other similar social patterns on Earth. Major religions are prime
    examples. Corporate regimes are also shining examples, especially those that
    are family-owned. Daddy steps aside and Junior slides in as CEO and is of course
    the most-qualified. [Everyone nod]

    One fascinating aspect of the the evolution of the .NET Eco.System and the ROYALS who Rule the Root is that more energy now goes into the Study of those Face.People(tm), as opposed to the design of Fair and Right systems. Via DNA
    studies and other scientific work, it may be proven that the .NET ROYALS
    really are “different”. Their feet really do not touch the ground. They are
    truly unique.

    Take a tour. Watch them in action. YOU are paying for their road-shows.

    Reply

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