Protecting Your Trademark on Facebook

Facebook®, the popular social networking system, has announced that starting at 12:01 a.m. (EDT) on Saturday, June 13, 2009, its users will be allowed to create personalized URLs. (see http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=90316352130). This raises the possibility that some Facebook users may try to incorporate third party trademarks as part of their new URLs.

In anticipation of this possibility, Facebook has established an online form to be used by trademark owners interested in protecting their trademarks from being registered as usernames. (Click here: Facebook - Preventing the Registration of a Username). The online form is simple and, barring technical complications, should be easy to use. It is unknown as to how effective this system will turn out to be but there may be be little downside to the process. Unfortunately, Facebook has given minimal advance notice of this new development and trademark owners who wish to take full advantage of this system should consider submitting the online form prior to the commencement of the new URL registration program on Saturday June 13.