When Facebook changed its name to Meta in October, there were some concerns that the company was seeking to govern the burgeoning metaverse. Until recently, however, one disgruntled party remained silent; nevertheless, this party has lately spoken up.
On Tuesday, a company that specializes in creating installation art called META (or Meta. is) announced that it will sue Meta (or Facebook) for trademark infringement. The company claims that Zuckerberg’s decision to change the name of the larger company violates the established brand of the more specialized business.
A post that can be found on the website of the more modest business states, “On October 28, 2021, Facebook took our META mark and name, which we poured our effort, sweat, and tears into establishing for over twelve years.” [Citation needed] “Today, after trying to negotiate with Facebook in good faith for the past eight months and coming to no conclusions, we were forced to bring a lawsuit against them because we had no other choice.”
According to Meta. is, the lawsuit is mostly based on Facebook’s severe privacy problems, which have made it impossible to share the name. According to the allegations made in the complaint, Meta is no longer allowed to sell goods and services under the META brand name because there is a high probability that customers will incorrectly believe that Meta’s goods and services originate from Facebook and that Meta is connected to the toxicity that is inextricably linked to Facebook.
Meta. may still face an uphill battle in court despite having a legitimate claim for the term even though Facebook has made a wide range of trademark applications since the name change became official, including different marks for messaging, social networks, and financial services. This is because Facebook has changed its name officially. Meta is also the name of several trademarks for products that are not related to technology, such as a hard seltzer and a manufacturer of prosthetic limbs.