Facebook Suing Over the Use of Book in a Domain Name
by Frank Jovine on 08/27/2010 in Business, Social Networking
This is absolutely ludicrous! Facebook doesn’t want anyone to register a domain name that uses ‘generic plus book’. There are many domains that have generic plus book such as;
Macbook.com
SEObook.com (Excellent resource for SEO)
lookatbook.com
eBook.com
Techbook.com (Parked domain)
Teachbook (Currently being sued)
iownbook.com (Newly registered)
According to Facebook: “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,’” it says. “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.”
Facebook is suing Teachbook, claiming the startup’s use of the word “book” in its name trespasses on its trademark.
Facebook is sending a clear message to the marketplace: If you use the word “book” in your name, it’s going to be a fight.
iownbook.com for sale at a great price! 
Original news story by Jennifer LeClaire, newsfactor.com
Kristi
Aug 27th, 2010
Isn’t Macbook the name (or used to be the name) of Apple laptops? They’re going to have fun with this one. Makes me want to register handbook, footbook, and a slew of other domains just to see how they are going to prove they own the trademark of anything with “book” in the title.
Frank Jovine
Aug 27th, 2010
Kristi,
This will be a fun ride to see how this pans out. I registered iownbook.com.
Greg Ellison
Aug 27th, 2010
It is stupid what facebook is doing. You shouldn’t be able to sue over a generic term like book.
The court will likely be drawn out and the newly startup will go out of business before it has even started because the money that facebook has.
Thanks Greg Ellison
Frank Jovine
Aug 27th, 2010
Greg,
It’s a bully tactic that could slap FB in the face.
Christie
Aug 27th, 2010
WOW. I had bytesbook.com until last month and I missed the chance to totally mess up Facebook’s trademark by making a social network of geeks or something.
Frank Jovine
Aug 27th, 2010
Christie,
That was your lottery ticket!!!
Brian
Aug 27th, 2010
I’m finding it interesting how a lot of big companies seem to be suing random small companies for the strangest reasons ever, such as this.
TechCrunch also reports them trying to trademark “face”. http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/
I would love to see the outcome of this.
Frank Jovine
Aug 28th, 2010
Brain,
These companies get big heads and think they can rule the world.
Andrew @ Blogging Guide
Aug 29th, 2010
Facebook’s head is now a balloon! They have to be careful of those who have needles!
Frank Jovine
Aug 29th, 2010
Andrew,
That is true and I like the way you put it!
Tom Patterson
Aug 29th, 2010
I call it the Disney complex! Many of these companies seem to have forgotten where the came from.
Jayla
Aug 30th, 2010
Facebook’s head is so far up their arses it’s not even funny. Silly. But in addition to this article, I found this one, too:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Can-All-Companies-with-Face-or-Book-in-Name-Sue-Facebook-for-Name-Infringement
The whole article is interesting. But what stood out a little bit more (if that makes sense) is the Austin company called BookPeople. And then you have FaceBook. Face represents people and well book is the same. Hmmm…
Frank Jovine
Aug 31st, 2010
Jayla,
Nice find! FB seems worried over something so petty.
Jayla
Aug 31st, 2010
Frank,
I agree. So many companies can flip the script on them. I don’t think they realize they’re opening up the wrong can of worms.
Frank Jovine
Aug 31st, 2010
Jayla,
I think in time FB will wake up to the fact that their too big for their own good.
Adam@florida liposuction
Sep 1st, 2010
Social networking giant Facebook is suing Teachbook, an online community for teachers, claiming that the site willfully and deliberately infringes its brand.Facebook argued that if the suffix ‘Book’ is used so freely everywhere then it would just become a generic term for networking services and that would dilute the distinctiveness of the Facebook Marks.