E-Quest #8

The word "face" is a trademark of Facebook, but only when applied by potential social media competitors. Of course, the trademark for Face is nothing new. Facebook has already trademarked "Like" and "Wall". In Facebook’s case, the trademark would cover “telecommunication services, namely providing online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among computer users in the field of general interest and concerning social and entertainment subject matter, none primarily featuring or relating to motoring or to cars”. Other prominent uses of the word “face” are: Apple’s video conferencing service Facetime which may feel the brunt of Facebook’s trademark, though it may not be covered by the trademark. Additionally, Facebook has filed a separate lawsuit against a pornography company with the similar name FacePorn. On the other hand, lawyers, corporations, and trademark commissions can’t dictate how those of us who use English every day will deploy any word, even if we use those words on Facebook. Google, for many, will remain a web search, regardless of the search engine. Xerox will refer to any copy on any copier. And despite Facebook’s attempt to corral and monopolize global interpersonal communication, books and faces will keep on being books and faces.