Facebook sues start-up for using 'book' in its name

[mike r]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0826-facebook-suit-20100825,0,3625119.story

Facebook sues start-up for using 'book' in its name
Teachbook.com, which has yet to officially launch, provides tools for teachers to manage their classrooms.
By Wailin Wong

Teachbook.com has two employees and fewer than 20 users signed up for its free Web community. The site has yet to officially launch. But the Northbrook, Ill., company, which provides tools for teachers to manage their classrooms and share lesson plans and other resources, has been thrust into the spotlight by social networking giant Facebook, which sued the start-up for using "book" in its name.

"We've been sitting here scratching our heads for the last couple of days," Teachbook's managing director, Greg Shrader, said Wednesday. "We're trying to understand how Facebook, a multibillion-dollar company, feels this small enterprise in Chicago is any type of threat."

Palo Alto-based Facebook, which was founded in 2004 and has more than 500 million users, filed its trademark infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Jose last week, asserting that the "book" part of its name is "highly distinctive in the context of online communities and networking websites."

"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,'" Facebook argued in the lawsuit. "That would dilute the distinctiveness of the Facebook Marks."...

[onehandle]

1. Facebook is a plague. nt

[depakid]

3. Yep- though its role in outing its stupid users cannot be underestimated

[KamaAina]

2. Great. They're now the online McDonald's.

Seriesly. The "Sleep Inn" chain of budget motels had to change its name from "McSleep" because Mickey D's sued them, saying basically that "Mc-" would become a generic prefix for "cheap".

[Mimosa]

4. The greedy dweebs should be stopped.

Or else they will control the internet.

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Am going to do a start up called...(get ready...)

throwthebookatem.com

Also, should start one called, fanshithitting.com

[donco]

8. better look again

that ones taken.



http://throwthebookatem.blogspot.com/2010/07/liar-liar.html:)

[tridim]

6. Kiss my assbook, facebook.

[Bobbieo]

7. Facebook has refused to take the ads for 'Just Say Now', the new pro-marijuana

legislation promotion because it displays pot leaves on its ad borders.

[JCMach1]

9. seeing how the term 'facebook' exists long before the website

FAIL!!!

[texastoast]

10. Fuck Facebook

They don't own the word "book."

I don't think they have a snowball's chance with their suit.

[davidpdx]

11. The case has no merit and will be laughed out of court

The word "book" is generic. Now if they had started up a company with the name Teacherfacebook, maybe just maybe they could claim infringement.

For those slamming Facebook, I disagree with some of the things they have done, but still am a member. You are ultimately responsible for making sure your information is safe online.

[unblock]

12. i'd say this calls for a facepalm but they'd probably sue me....