Twitter Faces Potential Lawsuits Over Rebranding
After Elon Musk’s announcement of Twitter’s rebranding as X, legal experts anticipate potential lawsuits from other tech giants that already hold intellectual property rights to the same letter. Twitter is already dealing with several lawsuits following Musk’s takeover, and this rebrand could add to its legal challenges.
Trademark Attorney Warns of High Probability of Lawsuits
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben asserts that there is a “100 per cent” chance that Twitter will be sued over the rebrand. He highlights that there are nearly 900 active US trademark registrations already covering the letter X across various industries, making it legally complicated for Twitter to use the same letter for its rebrand.
Potential for Trademark Infringement
Owners of trademarks can sue for infringement if they believe that other branding could lead to consumer confusion. Microsoft, which has owned an X trademark related to its Xbox gaming system since 2003, and Meta Platforms, with a federal trademark for a blue-and-white letter X in software and social media since 2019, are among those that could potentially take legal action against Twitter.
Meta and Microsoft Monitoring the Situation
Trademark attorney Gerben suggests that Meta and Microsoft might not immediately sue unless they perceive Twitter’s use of the letter X as a threat to their brand equity. Neither of the three companies has responded to requests for comments on the matter.
Challenges in Protecting a Single Letter
Even if Musk’s rebranding plan succeeds, other entities could still attempt to claim the letter X for their own use. Experts believe that protecting a single letter, especially a widely used one like “X,” is challenging. Twitter’s protection is likely to be limited to very similar graphics to their new X logo, as the logo itself lacks distinctive features.
Overall, Twitter’s rebranding to X could lead to a legal battle over intellectual property rights, potentially causing financial damages and challenges to the use of the new name. The situation remains uncertain, and any legal implications of the rebranding will need to be closely monitored.
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