The company formerly known as Facebook is facing a possible trademark challenge to its big rebranding plans. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the renaming of its parent company to Meta during the company’s Connect 2021 conference last week.
The name alludes to Facebook’s focus on the metaverse, the concept that describes future virtual environments in which people can congregate and communicate. It will also help to separate the company’s corporate identity from its apps. However, another company has beaten Facebook to the trademark rights on Meta.
Arizona-based startup Meta PC, which sells Meta-branded computers, components, and PC peripherals, filed a trademark for the “Meta” name in August 2021. A filing on the Patent and Trademark Office’s website has confirmed the claim.
The company has been selling products carrying the Meta name since November 2020. Facebook only filed for the term “Meta” on the day of its announcement, possibly to avoid any possible leaks that would spoil the big reveal. However, the non-profit Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has owned the “META” trademark since 2018.
The owner of a federal trademark has certain legal protections over it but does not own the word. It would not bar another company from using the name for its products, unless a conflict arises that would lead to consumers confusing the products.
BusinessInsider said it would be unlikely that a court ruled that a conflict exists in this instance, given that Meta and Meta PCs have vastly different offerings. Tabloid publication TMZ has claimed the founders of Meta PC want $20 million (R304.6 million) from Facebook to give up their claim to the name.
The founders have denied they said this in an interview with Business Insider. Meta PCs posted a funny retort to Facebook’s name change in which it said it was now renaming itself to Facebook.
Source: mybroadband
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