this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2023
1020 points (98.5% liked)

Technology

70285 readers
2747 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
L3s@lemmy.world
enu@lemmy.world
technopagan@lemmy.world
L4s@lemmy.world
L3s@hackingne.ws
L4s@hackingne.ws
1020
Meta given 30 days to cease using the name Threads by company that trademarked it 11 years ago (www.techspot.com)
submitted 2 years ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
78 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Meta given 30 days to cease using the name Threads by company that trademarked it 11 years ago::undefined

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Supervivens@lemmy.world 240 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Eh, unlike some of the other pretty blatantly frivolous lawsuits we’ve seen lately (such as the google chrome cast one) this seems pretty legit. They had a globally recognized company called threads that worked in the software industry and meta had made multiple offers for their IP showing they knew about them and still went ahead. Seems clear cut and Meta will likely have to change the name.

[–] takeda@lemmy.world 47 points 2 years ago

It should be easy to rename as no one is using it.

But seriously, this is the kind of bullshit those monopolistic companies are doing all the time. Another infuriating one was with Google's Go language. Author contacted them that he was using the name for 10 years and even had a book written about the language, but they basically just went with it anyway, because he was nobody and they were Google. Also, this is speculating, but I won't believe when they came up with the name they didn't use their Google to look the name up, probably that's why they closed the issue so quickly.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 90 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I don’t know about UK trademark law, but I would imagine that, like with other countries, using a similar or identical name is okay, but only if you’re in a totally different industry. The original threads is also a messaging product, which doesn’t bode well for a lawsuit.

I imagine they thought they could just force a smaller company’s hand. Meta’s marketing, e-staff, and legal team are a bunch of corporate bullies.

[–] hedgehog@ttrpg.network 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Threads is a cloud-based intelligent message hub that captures, transcribes, and organizes all of a company's digital messages, emails, and phone calls into one easily searchable database.

B2B is a completely different marketplace than B2C, and “internal search index of company’s digital messages” is a different industry than “social media app.”

The company’s own trademark registration indicates the trademark applies to “computer software, software and apparatus for the extraction of business information and knowledge.” That doesn’t sound like a social media app to me, either.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 85 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

It is too bad Meta couldn't afford a lawyer to do a search for trademarks and copyrights. Really shame.

[–] Resolute3542@lemmy.dbzer0.com 42 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Did you even read the article??

It appears that Meta was aware of Threads before launching its platform of the same name. Company lawyers made four offers to purchase the domain 'threads.app' from Threads Software Ltd from April 2023, all of which were declined. Meta announced Threads in July 2023, the same time that the British company says it was removed from Facebook.

They literally made an offer to buy the domain Threads.app 4 times and got rejected.

[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 20 points 2 years ago

It was sarcasm. Meta has lots of money.

[–] Obi@sopuli.xyz 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

And then figured they'd be fine if they deleted their Facebook account. If your Facebook account gets deleted you get deleted in real life, after all.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] capital@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You think they were unaware?

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 40 points 2 years ago

They already planned for this. They’ll settle out of court. It’s pennies to them and a planned business expense, like a fine

[–] johnthedoe@lemmy.ml 66 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Completely forgot Threads was even a thing.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Treczoks@lemm.ee 46 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I don't know which concerns me more: That Meta gets their asses kicked, or why the f-ck someone was able to trademark the word "Threads".

[–] ezchili@iusearchlinux.fyi 37 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You don't trademark the word "threads", you trademark it within the context of the industry you're in

I can make a shop that sells pies and call it "Apple"

[–] Mamertine@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Well... Apple may come after your pie shop. You'll likely win if you have the resources to fight it.

Monster Cable, they fight anyone who uses the word "monster" including mini golf places

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/98013289

Tldr, monster Cable is ran by shit humans who like to litigate.

[–] nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 6 points 2 years ago

Your trademark is protected only in the field you're in, but if you're a widely known brand, and can prove it, you usually have some special protection, allowing you to prevent others from using it in all fields.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] the_ocs@lemmy.world 28 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Someone was able to trademark the word "Apple", so that's not so surprising

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 28 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Twice.

And when Apple violated the agreement they made with Apple Music not to enter each other's industries (Apple Records couldn't sell tech and Apple Computers couldn't sell music), they successfully argued in court that iTunes wasn't selling music, but digital downloads...

[–] Treczoks@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Which, for me, also falls under "why the heck was this legal at any time?"

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Octavio@lemmy.world 39 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Gosh if only Meta hd money for lawyers, they could squish this like a bug. Oh, yeah. They do have money for lawyers. Tons of it.

[–] topinambour_rex@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Are you sure UK court allows it ? Because they filed in UK.

[–] Octavio@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

I don’t know anything about UK law but in my observations, giant corporations with tons of cash and armies of ~~lawyers~~ solicitors do what they want. I could be wrong but it is just my cynical view, not legal advice.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] TwilightVulpine@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Depressing that people treat money winning over justice as a given. There is realism, and then there's defeatism.

[–] LengAwaits@lemmy.world 33 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There's no love lost between me and Meta, but I'm just gon' leave this here:

Against Intellectual Monopoly

[–] MrFlamey@lemmy.world 30 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Well can't they just call it Meta Threads or Threads by Meta if it isn't already, and nothing has to change.

[–] zaphod@feddit.de 20 points 2 years ago

Not an expert on trademark law, but I think "Threads by Meta" would not work as the main part of that name would still be "Threads", "Meta Threads" could work, but if they'd make the "Meta" part not prominent in the branding then again it would probably be considered as only "Threads".

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Deftdrummer@lemmy.world 30 points 2 years ago

Fun fact: Google has to pay royalties to Windsor Castle since they had a Keep product first.

[–] SleepingTower@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago

Where have I seen this before? Oh yeah: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Games

They'll be fine.

[–] nutsack@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I'm sure Meta will either pay them out or bankrupt them in court.

[–] nucawysi@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I wonder if Posts is taken....... lol Twitter switched to one letter. I kind of prefer the made up ethnically ambiguous names than the short ones.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I mean ... could they just use Twitter since that's not in use any more?

[–] smackjack@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Elon still owns the Twitter trademark, and can sue if anyone tries to use it.

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

How about Xwitter?

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Not to be confused with the movie of the same name that, unlike Meta's service, made me a miserable drunk

I'm sure Meta Legal knew and would deal with it when the time came.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] yournamehere@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago

again? didnt they have to pay that woman who was regged as meta on insta aswell? like there is nothing at all original about marcs "ideas".

[–] chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Bad move Lizard King

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] wewbull@iusearchlinux.fyi 4 points 2 years ago

New name: "Y"

load more comments
view more: next ›