Facebook Almost Registers Their Trademark over the Word “Face”

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office sent the Facebook offices a Notice of Allowance, which now means that the government has awarded the social networking site the trademark of ‘Face,’ but not unconditionally, Facebook can only use the trademark only under certain conditions.  Hence, many predict facebook to become the new "face" of the Web, although there were very mixed reaction on this advancement of events.

The famous review website TechCrucnch, which also broke this news of Facebook acquiring the ‘Face’ trademark, wrote these words in review to this news: "While it seems so bizarre that a company should have the right to trademark a word as common as 'Face' apparently the USPTO isn't at all disturbed.” On the other hand, renouned CNNMoney.com expressed their review by writing: "Patent lawyers had been skeptical that Facebook would be granted the trademark to such a generic word." And equally important analytical website The Next Web marked that "When it comes to branding your product, there are a couple schools of thought, one of them goes by the philosophy that you can never really have too much visibility. That ... is apparently the method of operation for Facebook." 

Having said that, regardless of different technology related websites, when the news was announced publically the Vator News had their own style of presenting it, they reckoned that "The trademark will be a powerful weapon for Facebook in disputes against third-party companies and services that try to leech off of Facebook's well-known brand,". And went on making their point "Unfortunately, one can also imagine it being used to instigate litigation against parties who use the word 'face' in their names just because it makes a lot of sense in describing social, people-to-people services." 

In the past Facebook has gone after several websites using the word "book," and "like," as well. Just this August, Facebook sued start-up site Teachbook.com. The website argued that it is just a teacher's community, and was also supported by posts in CNNMoney.com. And simple travel site titled ‘PlaceBook’ was also ordered and was made to change their name to ‘TripTrace,’ just last summer by Facebook itself.