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Facebook pokes start-up Teachbook with lawsuit
Facebook is concerned that a start-up social network for teachers with the word “book” in its title is infringing on its own trademarks, CNET reports. The company on Aug. 25 filed a complaint in a California district court against Teachbook, a networking site geared toward teachers. Claiming that Teachbook is “riding on the coattails of the fame and enormous goodwill of the Facebook trademark,” the complaint asserts that the start-up, which is headquartered in a suburb of Chicago, shouldn’t be using the “-book” suffix. “If others could freely use ‘generic plus BOOK’ marks for online networking services targeted to that particular generic category of individuals, the suffix ‘book’ could become a generic term for ‘online community/networking services’ or ‘social networking services.’ That would dilute the distinctiveness of the Facebook marks, impairing their ability to function as unique and distinctive identifiers of Facebook’s goods and services,” the lawsuit claims. Teachbook, which has not yet commented on the matter, doesn’t appear to imitate Facebook’s design or feel, but Facebook’s whole argument is that it doesn’t want the “-book” suffix to become a social-networking term independent of the Facebook brand. The complaint brings up, among other things, that Teachbook markets itself as a social-networking option for teachers whose schools might have blocked or forbidden access to social networks such as Facebook…
4 Responses to Facebook pokes start-up Teachbook with lawsuit
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ctdahle
August 26, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I’ll record their objection in my noteBook, my planningbook, my textbook, my handbook and my addressbook.
ctdahle
August 26, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I’ll record their objection in my noteBook, my planningbook, my textbook, my handbook and my addressbook.
eburton
August 26, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Tweaking a product that is successful is the most common form of flattery on the www. If teachers are going to use a product to promote better student learning and sharing of ideas how can we fight it in good conscience?
Erika Burton, Ph.D.
http://www.steppingstonestogether.com
eburton
August 26, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Tweaking a product that is successful is the most common form of flattery on the www. If teachers are going to use a product to promote better student learning and sharing of ideas how can we fight it in good conscience?
Erika Burton, Ph.D.
http://www.steppingstonestogether.com
Suej
August 26, 2010 at 7:49 pm
You’re kidding…”book” cannot be copyrighted or limited in use…get real…or else “teachbook” should get it…how does “face” and “book” work together?
Suej
August 26, 2010 at 7:49 pm
You’re kidding…”book” cannot be copyrighted or limited in use…get real…or else “teachbook” should get it…how does “face” and “book” work together?
sniedzins
August 28, 2010 at 4:20 am
Sniedzins says:
Yes, there are a lot of “book” suffixes but the term “face” tied to a book is unique. The patentable creativity comes with the “face to face” social experience that Facebook provides. So when you have unique terms like “Teacherbook” someone has used Facebook’s ingenuity to ride on that experience. Look at all the companies that have fought the fight to protect their brand: Kleenex, Xerox, Knowledge Generator, Examatar, etc.
Erwin Sniedzins
http://www.mountknowledge.com
sniedzins
August 28, 2010 at 4:20 am
Sniedzins says:
Yes, there are a lot of “book” suffixes but the term “face” tied to a book is unique. The patentable creativity comes with the “face to face” social experience that Facebook provides. So when you have unique terms like “Teacherbook” someone has used Facebook’s ingenuity to ride on that experience. Look at all the companies that have fought the fight to protect their brand: Kleenex, Xerox, Knowledge Generator, Examatar, etc.
Erwin Sniedzins
http://www.mountknowledge.com