Facebook seeks to copyright word ‘book’

Social networking giant Facebook is seeking to trademark the word ‘book'. The social media behemoth secretly slipped in the small clause in its newest user agreement page.

Social networking giant Facebook is seeking to trademark the word ‘book,’ it has emerged.

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The social media behemoth secretly slipped in the small clause in its newest user agreement page.

This means that all Facebook users who log onto the site are agreeing to the terms.

“You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook, and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, Book, and Wall), or any confusingly similar marks, except as expressly permitted by our Brand Usage Guidelines or with our prior written consent,” the agreement page reads.

While the assertion doesn’t make the trademark legally binding, the clause gives the website more protection and clout in future legal standings to protect its intellectual property, The Daily Mail reports.

Facebook currently has at least 70 trademarks including ‘F,’ ‘F8,’ ‘Wall,’ ‘Friendfeed,’ and ‘Facebook Ads.’

The current statement says that ‘you will note use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, Wall and 32665), or any confusingly similar marks, without our written permission.

According to a Wired report, the change is tucked into Facebook’s Site Governance section.

Wired said that while the agreement isn’t as binding as a registered trade mark, because every Facebook user ultimately agrees to the new terms, the net Facebook casts is a wide one.