Guess what Facebook is up to? :). It is recently reported that Facebook wants to copyright the english word ‘Face‘, that is we will never see any other company with a name having prefix as ‘Face‘ in future. Only if he succeeds in filing a law suit and succeeding with it.
Recently Facebook took over the application for trademark of ‘Face‘ from another company of UK named as CIS internet limited. The company operated a site named Faceparty.com. There may be many others but for now a person named Aaron Greenspan who has a company Think Computers that is behind mobile payments application called Facecash is opposing Facebook’s action. If Facebook gets the trademark that would result into trouble for Facecash. So Aaron Greenspan is asking for an extension of time to oppose such thing.
What if he is given that extension or what if Facebook succeeds getting the word ‘Face‘ as its trademark? Companies no matter big or small should they be given personal rights to the common words like ‘Face‘ or ‘Book‘? There were,are and will be many companies starting with the name ‘Face‘ or ending with the name ‘Book‘. It is not advisable to be given such authority to Facebook people. The english words are free and open for all and I think anybody should be able to think or create a name of his choice no matter what.
Just imagine any beauty products company launching with the name Facebeauty. It has no intention to harm Facebook but still it would not be able to keep the name as the company wishes too because words like ‘Face‘ and ‘Book‘ will be copyright for Facebook. Certain products and companies will be facing problems in keeping the desired name. This hamper people’s choice and views. I think Facebook should keep a clause saying only social networking sites with name starting with ‘Face‘ or ending with ‘Book‘ should be asked to not do such thing. Rest if any company which is not related to social networking should be allowed to use such words :).