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Facebook To Own the Word "Face"

Posted by samzenpus on from the what's-in-a-word dept.

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.''"

10 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. Trademarks never to be used by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's a sad day, we now know that Mark Zuckerberg has the trademark on AssFace and FuckFace. Well, I guess we knew that already anyways.

  2. How about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Facetime?

  3. Apple will have to cede trademark ownership... by shaark78 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    of Facetime?

    1. Re:Apple will have to cede trademark ownership... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      incorrect - if anything the reverse case will apply, and restrictions/exclusions or overturn of the Face trademark would occur. Apple's trademark claims on Facetime have precedence due to date of filing and usage. Facebook would be foolish to confront Apple on this.

  4. So are these phrases nbow owned by facebook? by Jailbrekr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Face time
    Giving face
    Getting face
    Face the music
    Face off

    This is supremely retarded.

    --
    Feed the need: Digitaladdiction.net
  5. Face.com by denshao2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Face.com may be forced to remove their Facebook like box.

  6. Not necessarily as bad as it sounds by KC1P · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This might not cause that much trouble, because when you *register* a trademark (as in (R)) you have to specify what business the mark will be used in and it's limited to that. A non-registered trademark (as in TM) is harder to defend but has a lot more wiggle room for the trademark holder. IANAL but I'll continue using the word "Face" w/o worrying, unless I'm building a social networking web site.

  7. Terrible by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is like a slap in the face to the public!

    Wait, what do you mean I owe Mark Zuckerberg a thousand dollars for this slashdot comment?

  8. What did Apple say about this? by jmichaelg · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does the ruling include Facetime?

  9. Re:So what you're saying is... by AchilleTalon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I rather than suggest to enter the procedure to register Ace as a trademark, then you should be able to sell you FaceSuite and have Facebook repay you their rights plus the right to use ACE in Face.

    --
    Achille Talon
    Hop!