What!? Facebook to acquire trademark protection for 'Face'

by Steven Mostyn - Nov 26 2010, 06:28

If you're currently planning to launch a new social service called MyFace, TwitFace, or anything else containing the word 'face', be aware that leading network Facebook has been given the green light to trademark the first half of its name.

More pointedly, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has this week released a Notice of Allowance enabling Facebook to file a Statement of Use that will see it attain trademark protection for part of its hugely recognisable name. 

By trademarking the 'Face' of Facebook, it is believed the world's biggest social platform will be in a stronger legal position when it comes to stamping out rival services or other businesses that attempt to achieve success by tapping into its global recognition.

According to the notice, Facebook's trademark will cover “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.”

Facebook first began the process of trademarking 'face' back in 2008 when it acquired the trademark for modest UK-based social network Faceparty.com, which had itself applied for a 'face' trademark in 2005.

The question now remains as to whether Facebook will now seek a trademark on 'book', not least because Zuckerberg and Co. have already targeted various online social networks such as Teachbook and Lamebook, and even travel website Placebook—which was subsequently forced to change its name to TripTrace.

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