November 25, 2010
Online social networking website Facebook has launched a bid in America to trademark the word ‘face’.
Facebook put in the application to prevent other companies from using the term and damaging its own brand in the process.
The first stage of the process has now been approved and the full trademark looks likely to be registered in six months time. The successful move has surprised many experts, many of whom doubted whether such a generic term would be granted the status.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has already allowed a period for objections and none were raised.
Facebook has 500 million users internationally and is by far the most popular social networking website in the world but has recently been plagued by criticism over its privacy policies and protection strategies for young users.
The application was lodged with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which awarded it a Notice of Allowance, the first step to full approval in America. Over the next six months Facebook will have to demonstrate it is using the trademark and file a Statement of Use, the next phase, ahead of final approval.
The terms of the trademark are specific business situations, namely telecommunication services such as online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for general interest messages involving social and entertainment matters.
Officials have not anticipated any problems provided Facebook pays the necessary fees.
