Facebook announced last week that it was changing its name to Meta. But the transition appears to be hitting some snags.
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A company already owns the trademark “Meta” – and that was long before Facebook released its new name.
Arizona-based startup Meta PC founder Zach Shutt told Insider that the company filed for the “Meta” trademark in August. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website confirms the filing, which says Meta PC began using the brand for its product line in November 2020.
Meta PC sells computers, disk drives, keyboards and other devices.
Facebook filed for the brand on Oct. 28, according to its filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. However, the non-profit Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gained ownership of the “META” trademark in 2018, according to a separate filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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A federal trademark gives a company nationwide legal protection for its brand name and helps identify its products and services, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. However, it doesn't mean a company owns a particular word and prevents others from using it.
For example, if Facebook were to license the Meta trademark, that wouldn't mean the company could prevent a company outside its industry from using it. It's unclear whether a court would rule that MetaPC and Facebook are in the same industry, given their very different businesses.
The filings have not been approved — the filings are still listed as “live” — meaning Meta PC doesn’t yet own the “Meta” trademark. However, it filed its application a full two months before Facebook announced its name change — meaning the tech giant could face a legal battle.
Of course, the game Meta PC is playing is unclear. Schutt and co-founder Joe Darger have said they are willing to drop the whole thing if CEO Mark Zuckerberg gives them $20 million, TMZ reported. However, Schutt declined to confirm the amount or that he made such an offer.
Meta PC has been talking about the Facebook rebrand on its Twitter account, posting memes and other jokes in light of the name change. The company posted a video showing Schutt jokingly announcing that MetaPC is changing its name to “Facebook.”.
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Jim Prior, CEO of the company Superunion, told Insider that Facebook has poured financial and legal resources into securing the online rights to “Meta,” but the rebrand could impact smaller businesses that depend on the same brand.
Information source: businessinsider.com
