Threads Software Limited says its lawyers have informed Meta that it will seek an injunction from the courts if the Facebook parent keeps using the name Threads...
Meta given 30 days to cease using the name Threads by company that trademarked it 11 years ago::undefined
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.
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.
Eh it’s such a genetic term trademark arguments are hard to make here. Also their completely different niches. Boring corporate bs thats only making news because people (rightfully) hate Metas Threads.
Does it actually talk about Trademark or is it just about Patents and Copyright? Despite all three being different types of IP, Trademark serves a different purpose them the other two. It’s essentially just about preventing Corporate Identity Theft. It’s why it’s only one that’s supposed to last forever.
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.
If it’s all in writing you can’t just force another company to do what you want. What you can do is wriggle, twist and delay until it becomes too expensive for the smaller company to continue to pursue.
However judges are more than well aware of this technique and will allow the plaintiff to accrue costs against Legal Aid (paid for by government).
So what usually happens:
Small co files against large co for using same name
Large co produces huge response document which is all piss and wind
Small co says they can’t afford the costs to answer each point
Judge permits Small Co to use Legal Aid.
Large co offers to settle. (E.g. you’re a 3 person sandwich shop. They offer you £10m. No more work, no more hassle)
If Small Co is energetic, young and courageous, they may choose to fight to the death. But Legal Aid has a limit…
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.
Meta, Microsoft and literally dozens more, quite a few in fields that can already be argued overlap with Twitter and even more are going to keep popping up as Musk adds features to his “everything app”.
His only defence is probably going to be arguing nobody should be able to own a single letter trademark which would be hilarious. And absolutely disasterous to him.
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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.
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.
They should call it Y.
What’s the chrome cast one?
Basically a company had a patent of a barely similar device that shouldve fallen under common sense patent law and had zero plans on produce/selling the product. They’re basically just a company thats the patent equivalent of landlords
It’s called patent troll.
Completely forgot Threads was even a thing.
So did everyone else lol
Eh it’s such a genetic term trademark arguments are hard to make here. Also their completely different niches. Boring corporate bs thats only making news because people (rightfully) hate Metas Threads.
There’s no love lost between me and Meta, but I’m just gon’ leave this here:
Against Intellectual Monopoly
Your link doesn’t work for me. Is this the same?
https://nakamotoinstitute.org/static/docs/against-intellectual-monopoly.pdf
Yes
Does it actually talk about Trademark or is it just about Patents and Copyright? Despite all three being different types of IP, Trademark serves a different purpose them the other two. It’s essentially just about preventing Corporate Identity Theft. It’s why it’s only one that’s supposed to last forever.
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.
If it’s all in writing you can’t just force another company to do what you want. What you can do is wriggle, twist and delay until it becomes too expensive for the smaller company to continue to pursue.
However judges are more than well aware of this technique and will allow the plaintiff to accrue costs against Legal Aid (paid for by government).
So what usually happens:
If Small Co is energetic, young and courageous, they may choose to fight to the death. But Legal Aid has a limit…
I can make it worse. Let’s call it Yarn now. Also, let’s downvote my comment. I’ve ran out of good ideas.
Zuckbot just got his ass kicked lol. 🤣
Yeah. The group making billions in profit every quarter is sure getting their ass kicked. Facebook is dying too, right?
Where have I seen this before? Oh yeah: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_Games
They’ll be fine.
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.
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.
Depressing that people treat money winning over justice as a given. There is realism, and then there’s defeatism.
Are you sure UK court allows it ? Because they filed in UK.
I don’t know anything about UK law but in my observations, giant corporations with tons of cash and armies of
lawyerssolicitors do what they want. I could be wrong but it is just my cynical view, not legal advice.Fun fact: Google has to pay royalties to Windsor Castle since they had a Keep product first.
Well can’t they just call it Meta Threads or Threads by Meta if it isn’t already, and nothing has to change.
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.
I mean … could they just use Twitter since that’s not in use any more?
Elon still owns the Twitter trademark, and can sue if anyone tries to use it.
How about Xwitter?
Doesn’t Zuck the trademark to X, or was that just a joke going around?
Meta, Microsoft and literally dozens more, quite a few in fields that can already be argued overlap with Twitter and even more are going to keep popping up as Musk adds features to his “everything app”. His only defence is probably going to be arguing nobody should be able to own a single letter trademark which would be hilarious. And absolutely disasterous to him.