Facebook asserts trademark on word "book" in new user agreement - Polidicks

[quote] [IMG]http://puu.sh/mOZo[/IMG] Facebook is trying to expand its trademark rights over the word "book" by adding the claim to a [URL="https://www.facebook.com/fbsitegovernance?sk=app_4949752878"]newly revised version[/URL] of its "Statement of Rights and Responsibilities," the agreement all users implicitly consent to by using or accessing Facebook. You may recall that Facebook has launched multiple lawsuits against websites incorporating the word "book" into their names. Facebook, as far as we can tell, doesn't have a registered trademark on "book." But trademark rights can be asserted based on use of a term, even if the trademark isn't registered, and adding the claim to Facebook's user agreement could boost the company's standing in future lawsuits filed against sites that use the word. So, what exactly is Facebook changing? If you view the [URL="https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms"]current[/URL] Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, you'll find this sentence: [B]"You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, Wall and 32665), or any confusingly similar marks, without our written permission." [/B] If you're wondering, 32665 is the number allowing Facebook users to update their pages through text message. The [URL="https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10151420037600301"]newly revised user agreement[/URL] reads as follows (emphasis ours): [B]"You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, [I]Book[/I] and Wall), or any confusingly similar marks, except as expressly permitted by our Brand Usage Guidelines or with our prior written permission." [/B] Not accepting the terms isn't really an option for anyone with a Facebook account. "By using or accessing Facebook, you agree to this Statement," the document says. [/quote] Source #1: [URL="http://www.tweaktown.com/news/23244/facebook_asserts_trademark_on_word_book_in_new_user_agreement/index.html"]tweaktown.com[/URL] Source #2: [URL="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/03/facebook-asserts-trademark-on-word-book-in-new-user-agreement.ars"]arstechnica.com[/URL]

Oh no what about Fuckbook?

So if you don't have a Facebook account you're free to use it because you didn't agree?

trademark and patent laws: encouraging innovation one lawsuit at a time!

[QUOTE=tomj;35333208]So if you don't have a Facebook account you're free to use it because you didn't agree?[/QUOTE] Even if you do have a facebook account and you violate the terms, at most they'll do is ban your account.

I feel bad for the guy who founded the bookstore "BookFace" back in 2002

Trademark poke? What?

Face and Poke? What? Also, Wall? What the fuck?

Sometimes I wish Oxford Dictionary would roll out trademarks.

Companies shouldn't be allowed to own common words.

These guys are fucked. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TStPNqex3uA[/media]

Oh thank god we can use 32665 again.

Why the hell would you be allowed to copyright the word book? And if the world is dumb enough to let you do that, why the hell hasn't someone tried to whore that word out before?

I suppose we'll just have to call them Pageamajigs now.

In related news, garry updated the Facepunch ToS. "You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facepunch, the Facepunch and Logos, FP, Face, Punch, Glod and v), or any confusingly similar marks, except as expressly permitted by our Brand Usage Guidelines or with our prior written permission."

What is this letters and numbers bullshit America. Trademarks should be whole phrases, new words or images. I wish we could condense this dumb into dumbonite and launch a dumbomb into all the dumb laws.

I think they're trying to avoid someone setting up a "Friendbook" where you can post on your friend's "wall". But they wrote it stupid.

I can't wait to clean my face™ and read a book™. I might go and poke™ my sister, she's been annoying me lately. Or take out my anger by graffiting a wall™ I'm just so angry, I could F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™F™UUUU

[QUOTE=Corndog Ninja;35334232]I think they're trying to avoid someone setting up a "Friendbook" where you can post on your friend's "wall". But they wrote it stupid.[/QUOTE] And that would lose them[B][I] so much money[/I][/B], wouldn't it? The word book just prints it's own money.

I want to slap them in the face™ with a book™

Face™Palm. Blatant trademark and copyright abuse.

Facepunch is screwed.

This sounds like some seriously retarded shit.

[QUOTE=ZombieDawgs;35334269] I might go and poke™ my sister [/QUOTE] please rephrase that

[QUOTE=Tacosheller;35335176]please rephrase that[/QUOTE] No no, let him continue.

Shit i own a website with the word "face" in it. Im not joking, i actually do

[QUOTE=Tacosheller;35335176]please rephrase that[/QUOTE] No >8D

[b]Poke[/b]mon is screwed.

Im going to go read a umm.... Paper with words on it stuck together which i can flip to get to the next page of words.

[QUOTE=Best4bond;35336442]Im going to go read a umm.... Paper with words on it stuck together which i can flip to get to the next page of words.[/QUOTE] You said a word that begins with F. SUE.