The word 'Face' trademarked by Facebook, 'Book' & 'Like' next?

DoctorWatsOn

DoctorWatsOn

Well-known member
Just got in and I am reading in the ‘i’ newspaper that the US Patent & Trademark Office has confirmed that Facebook can claim sole use of the word ‘face’ in the field of telecommunications & online services, including chat rooms and bulletin boards!

The report continues that they are now thought to be focusing on securing a trademark on the words ‘book’ and ‘like’.

WTF? :eek:

Fair enough trademarking ‘Facebook’, but claiming separate common words such as ‘face’, ‘book’ and ‘like’ is outrageous.
 
The i doesn't have it's own website, but just found this on the BBC's site, looks like they are not totally home & dry over this yet, but are now only 'a few steps away' from securing it.

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

BBC
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the patent is just too corrupt and should be changed. didnt apple copyright the method of pinch zooming in and out for a while and had issues with google for that reason alone
 
DoctorWatsOn said:
CBC News is running a poll - Facebook: Should the U.S. allow companies to trademark generic words?
- if anyone is interested.

And the L.A. Times is reporting that - Facebook got 'face' trademark, but 'book' may be tougher
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That's an overwhelming vote against generic words being able to be trademarked.

Would a U.S trademark have any effect on a site using "face" that isn't based in the U.S?

Reading on a Down Under site, apparently the issue is no one is actually raising an objection over VisageBorg, trying to avoid getting sued here, applying for the trademark. Not my area, so have zero idea on how that all works.

Personally I'm currently trying to trademark the words "forum/forums" as I used it in a title for an essay on democracy in ancient Rome, and clearly a number of companies have since thieved off with the term and should be made to pay big time for their dubious decisions.
 
Jethro said:
That's an overwhelming vote against generic words being able to be trademarked.

Would a U.S trademark have any effect on a site using "face" that isn't based in the U.S?

Reading on a Down Under site, apparently the issue is no one is actually raising an objection over VisageBorg, trying to avoid getting sued here, applying for the trademark. Not my area, so have zero idea on how that all works.

Personally I'm currently trying to trademark the words "forum/forums" as I used it in a title for an essay on democracy in ancient Rome, and clearly a number of companies have since thieved off with the term and should be made to pay big time for their dubious decisions.
Click to expand...

It actually has no affect until they submit a statement of use stating how they plan to use it "in commerce." As for now, they don't use "face" for anything on its own (i.e., just in conjunction with the word "book") -- which they'll most likely do before the six month deadline passes, unfortunately. Even then, it only pertains in the context of "Telecommunications services, namely, providing online chat rooms and electronics bulletin boards for transmission of messages among computer users in the field of general interest and concerning social entertainment subject matter, none primarily featuring or relating to motoring or to cars." They've already trademarked "wall" and "poke".

Anyway, I agree with most everyone else.. it's simply too common of a word that has been in usage long before FB came into existence. Obviously, the USPTO doesn't seem to care.
 
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