Trademark Alert: Trademark Owners Must Act Immediately To Prevent Registration of Their Trademarks as Facebook URLs
6/12/2009
Facebook, Inc. announced this week that beginning
at 12:01 AM on Saturday June 13, 2009 it will begin allowing Facebook users to create personalized usernames for their Facebook pages. The form these usernames will take will be facebook.com/[yourname].
There is concern that Facebook users may try to use third-party trademarks as, or as part of, their usernames. This type of problem has already occurred in connection with the Twitter web site, on which there has been unauthorized use of third-party trademarks by Twitter users.
Recognizing this possibility, Facebook has created an online procedure for brand owners to prevent their trademarks from being registered as Facebook usernames. Information for brand owners is available online here. The relatively simple online procedure for registering trademarks can be found here. Although this procedure will continue to be available after Saturday, it is highly recommended that trademark owners file applications in advance of June 13.
Only users who held Facebook accounts before the announcement on Tuesday, June 9 will be initially eligible to create usernames. In addition, these personal URLs will not be transferable, so there will be no ability to sell the URL to a third party.
If you have any questions or need assistance in this matter, please contact Mintz Levin.
For more information on or assistance with this or any other trademark matter, please contact one of the trademark attorneys listed below or the Mintz Levin attorney who ordinarily handles your legal affairs.
Susan Neuberger Weller
(202) 585-3510
SNWeller@mintz.com
Cristine M. Baker
(212) 692-6236
CMBaker@mintz.com
Carol H. Peters
(617) 348-4914
CPeters@mintz.com
Geri L. Haight
(617) 348-1675
GLHaight@mintz.com
Carl A. Kukkonen, III
(858) 314-1535
CAKukkonen@mintz.com
Andrew D. Skale
(858) 314-1506
ADSkale@mIntz.com
