Facebook is trying to trademark 'face' (CNN)

[mike r]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/27/technology/facebook_trademark_face/

Facebook is trying to trademark 'face'
By Julianne Pepitone

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Facebook, which has gone after sites with the word "book" in their names, is also trying to trademark the word "face," according to court documents.

But the social networking site has met with a familiar foe. As TechCrunch first reported, Aaron Greenspan has asked for an extension of time to file an opposition to Facebook's attempt. Greenspan is the president and CEO of Think Computer, the developer of a mobile payments app called FaceCash. "I'd bet against 'face' being awarded to Facebook," said Henry Sneath, a patent and trademark lawyer based in Pittsburgh. "You cannot overtake the use of a generic word people use in everyday speech."

Greenspan, a former Harvard classmate of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, claimed he had a hand in developing the social networking giant. The case was settled last year. In an interview with CNNMoney.com, Greenspan said the two extensions he filed now give him until September 22 to oppose the "face" trademark attempt. The original deadline was June 23. "If you search the patent database, there are thousands of marks that contain the word 'face,'" Greenspan said. "I understand where Facebook is coming from, but this move has big implications for my company and for others."...

Facebook's separate fight over "book," on the other hand, has been more of a David vs. Goliath saga. As CNNMoney reported Thursday, Facebook is suing start-up site Teachbook.com -- which claims it is merely a teacher's community. The social networking giant also forced the travel site PlaceBook to change its name to TripTrace earlier this month...

[Duer 157099]

1. Facepalm n/t

[Lint Head]

2. This is getting ridicules. It's like a king is saying, "My subjects

cannot use the word water without my permission. If they do I will take their belongings. I own that word!"

[pinboy3niner]

3. That's hot!

And hilarious... :rofl:

[Lucian]

4. That's going too far.

I hope the patent office denies that.

Good gods.

[HopeHoops]

5. So if you come out with "ShitFaced Bongs", would they try to say there's "brand confustion"?

:hippie: :smoke: