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Facebook To Own the Word "Face"
Dthief writes "The US Patent And Trademark Office has sent Facebook a Notice of Allowance, which means it will grant the 'Face' trademark to the popular social networking site. Facebook now has three months to pay an issue fee before they officially own the word. From the article: 'For all intents and purposes today's status update bodes well for Facebook's hold over 'face' 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.''"
You are correct.
Facebook vs Teachbook.
However they had SOME miniscule ground in that Teachbook is meant to be a social network for teachers - and Facebook being a social network - felt that the use of 'x'book for social media sites kind of makes it sound like its trying to copy or associate with them, so they're defending the Facebook trademark that way.
Now - they basically want to do the same thing with Face, I assume. No social networking site Can be Face'x'. I don't think the lawyers would be stupid to try and defend its trademark outside the realm of which the company operates.
There was no precedent, Microsoft paid Lindows to shut up and change their name out of court.
"face" in a telecomunications context. Such as "interface"? Someone needs to beat them in the face with a clue stick.
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"created" words like facebook
Actually, facebook is a real word. Not created at all. It's like a college yearbook, but created and distributed with contact info, allowing people to contact each other in college and potentially after they've graduated. "Facebook (R)" is just a facebook on the web (which morphed into a social network, and added people who aren't in college).