Snarky Brides

Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57405532-93/facebook-users-beware-dont-use-the-word-book/?ttag=fbw

CN from subtitle sums it up:
The social-networking site is updating its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities -- if approved, account holders must agree not to use the words "Face," "Poke," or "Book."


I think it's ridiculous.  Trademarking the full name "facebook" as well as their logo is all well and good.  But geesh.  Face and book individually?  I'm curoius if there will be repercussions for using those words or if it even gives them grounds to sue people.  Apparently "face" has already successfully gone through.  because clearly, every time I tell someone they have a pretty face, I am subconsciously referring to Facebook Undecided

Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"

  • cheeseandricecheeseandrice member
    First Anniversary First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited March 2012
    They already won a lawsuit for 'timeline' too.
  • This is as stupid as when Paris Hilton tried to trademark "That's hot."
  • That is so stupid. So if people are talking about their own face now they have to find another word? Or book recs? Unbelievable.

    I don't understand how you can trademark words that have been around for way longer than your own company, and have completely different meanings.
  • If you (general you) are unoriginal enough to name a new "product" using a word or combination of words that already exist, you shouldn't be allowed to trademark those words individually.  Idk what frustrates me more, facebook even applying to trademark those, or people actually giving them the trademark.
  • edited March 2012
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:1cdf0141-60f4-435a-8e8c-0d9018f40704">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]They already won a lawsuit for 'timeline' too.
    Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]

    <div>You are kidding me. </div>
  • edited March 2012
    How does that even work?  Like... I mean really.  How could you enforce something like that.
    panther
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:25457f1d-2bbb-4b95-bd36-4bd77de6edb0">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]WTF.  Can they really trademark words like that?  Twitter makes sense I guess because it's a made up word (right?).  But FACE?!  REALLY?
    Posted by yaga13[/QUOTE]

    But twit is a word, so they clearly need to get on that right?
  • They forgot 'like'.  I didn't see that anywhere in the list of common english words that people use on a daily basis.   Seriously, you can't just hijack the english language,  That's idiotic.
    image
  • dmiller9274dmiller9274 member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited March 2012
    I'm fucked. Every time I make a smart ass comment to one of Michael's brothers on FB I immediately follow it up with a "FACE"
    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I'm pretty sure if we actually  read the patents it would say something like "cannot use the word 'face' in relation to a social networking website." I doubt they can actually sue anyone who says the word 'face' as it's part of the general public language.
  • Yeah, "In your FACE(Trademarked by Facebook)" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:41a2c5b1-c7a9-4ebf-ae21-e6b2163b0f28">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm pretty sure if we actually  read the patents it would say something like "cannot use the word 'face' in relation to a social networking website." I doubt they can actually sue anyone who says the word 'face' as it's part of the general public language.
    Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]


    This is what I'm thinking.  Because for real, lol, you can't stop people from using words. 
    panther
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:41a2c5b1-c7a9-4ebf-ae21-e6b2163b0f28">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm pretty sure if we actually  read the patents it would say something like "cannot use the word 'face' in relation to a social networking website." I doubt they can actually sue anyone who says the word 'face' as it's part of the general public language.
    Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]
    This makes sense and makes me happy. "Front part of your head" isn't nearly as cool as "FACE"
    image
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I'm curious how that would work for new businesses, like with what steph said.  Say, an online book site like Goodreads. It's kind of a social networking site. So would something like that not be able to use the word "book" in their company name?
  • cheeseandricecheeseandrice member
    First Anniversary First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited March 2012
    From what I understand, trademark lawsuits are usually only upheld if they can prove it would actually confuse the general consumer about who owns it.

    So, like, if I made a website called "facespace" and it was a social networking site... I'd think FB could sue me, because people could likely assume it was associated with facebook (or, myspace, but that's another issue.)

    If I had a website about insults and called it 'your face', probably not as likely to be sued.

    At least that's how I've understood it when I've seen other trademark lawsuit stories.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:023afa61-cd9e-448e-8739-fc1590028405">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE] If I had a website about insults and called it 'your face', probably not as likely to be sued.
    Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]
    You should make this happen.
  • edited March 2012
    "Facebook" itself, sure. But timeline? Poke? Things that existed before computers existed. I could see lots of social networking sites having a timeline. What else are they supposed to call it? That's what it is!
  • andrea2473andrea2473 member
    First Comment
    edited March 2012
    I didn't google because I'm lazy, but didn't the Susan G Komen organization sue someone for using "the cure" as part of their efforts in raising money for cancer.  I think I heard that here on TK.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.
    image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:acf883a4-ddb9-4213-a3f1-cacdf70823d6">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]I didn't google because I'm lazy, but didn't the Susan G Komen organization sue someone for using "the cure" as part of their efforts in raising money for cancer.  I think I heard that here on TK.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.
    Posted by andrea2473[/QUOTE]

    I remember hearing that too. Such crap.  Why not put the money and resources of suing/defending and shove it straight towards your JOINT cause? What a novel idea!
  • amyb140amyb140 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited March 2012
    Twitter is a word.  It's what birds do.
    imageAnniversary
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facebook-trying-to-trademark-facepokebook?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:f4d17d78-72ff-407a-962a-cbb2583e8fb5Post:023afa61-cd9e-448e-8739-fc1590028405">Re: Facebook trying to trademark "face"/"poke"/"book"</a>:
    [QUOTE]From what I understand, trademark lawsuits are usually only upheld if they can prove it would actually confuse the general consumer about who owns it. So, like, if I made a website called "<strong>facespace</strong>" and it was a social networking site... I'd think FB could sue me, because people could likely assume it was associated with facebook (or, myspace, but that's another issue.) If I had a website about insults and called it 'your face', probably not as likely to be sued. At least that's how I've understood it when I've seen other trademark lawsuit stories.
    Posted by Steph+J[/QUOTE]

    This is what H and I call it but there really is a different social networking site called Facespace. I think it's Facespace.com.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards