USPTO Grants Facebook Trademark on “Face”

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You read that right, Facebook now has the trademark on the word “face.” I would face palm right here but I am afraid of being sued for unauthorized use of the word “face.” :rolleyes:

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.
 
Let's face it..... facebook is getting really desperate. As if their "join us on facebook!" marketing scheme wasn't enough, they need to sue people now to make up for lost clients/revenue.
 
Hopefully the EFF will step in on this one. Along with that, I hope they won't start suing any company or product that uses "face" like Monster Cable is doing over the word "Monster."
Monster Cable TM threats

So the potential for Facebook is Movies: Scarface, Face-off, Man without a face, etc.
there is also this Facebook Sues Teachbook Over Use of 'Book'

I say TM'ing general words that have been around longer than the concept of TM's should be forbidden from being TM'd.

Dairy Queen tried to sue TY because they named their white leopard beanie baby "Blizzard." They eventually dropped the case after multiple judges threw out the case.

The TM offices are now in need of just as much commonsense reform as the patent offices do.
 
I know most of you are being sarcastic, but this would only apply in a situation where the name is for some online service as described in the OP, such as 'FacePage' or 'FaceFriends' or something. Something like 'InYourFace' that was news related or non social/entertainment related would be ok.

But yeah, very dumb and humongous fail for the USPTO.
 
I know most of you are being sarcastic, but this would only apply in a situation where the name is for some online service as described in the OP, such as 'FacePage' or 'FaceFriends' or something. Something like 'InYourFace' that was news related or non social/entertainment related would be ok.

But yeah, very dumb and humongous fail for the USPTO.

What about FaceParty.com which is a a social networking/community site (launched in 2000). Shouldn't they sue facebook as they have prior use of "face" on a site with online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among computer users that relates to general interest and concerning social and entertainment subject matter, none primarily featuring or relating to motoring or to cars. Thought they only have 7 million users apparently.
 
I really feel sorry for the Cosmetics industry now.....

I guess we'll have to rename it to Cheek/Forehead/chin/nose Cream instead of Face Cream....

Axe
 
*sigh* fuck this country and all the "freedoms" if all the morons are the ones making the laws
 
aw shit.

I was hoping to see Face Fucking 3.
I guess that trilogy will never come to light.

fuck facebook.
 
I wonder how many companies you could get to sue now with just one domain name....

ifacemonsterMS.com? Maybe throw in some rambus lovin in there somewhere, and give it a catchy Beatles tune playing on the homepage.
 
I thought copyrights of common words was not acceptable (i.e. MS trying to patent the word "Windows").

Too bad, it'll ruin comedy moments like this: In the Face
 
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