4 ms·

Then how about McDonald's as an example of this? Do you think they wouldn't unleash the lawyers if you opened a restaurant and started selling a McBurger with

• Terretta 16y ago
  Great example. The corner pub called McDougals would have a thing or two to say about it. Their fries are good, too. McDonald's doesn't get to split their name in half and trademark them separately. They can trademark McShake, but not Shake. They can trademark McFries, but not Fries. Facebook shouldn't get Face or Book. Those are not their name, and the words alone are far too generic. Microsoft doesn't get to trademark Micro or soft. Dove doesn't get to trademark Do or ve. Facebook doesn't get to trademark Face or Book. They can try, are trying, but letting them own the word "book" (or even "face") is ridiculous. And it could even be argued that the term "facebook" was in too common a use as a social directory description long before FB made it electronic.
• ig1 16y ago
  They have infact done so on multiple occasions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonalds_legal_cases http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonalds_legal_cases EasyGroup and Starbucks have both been involved in similar trademark lawsuits.