Facebook recently announced policies that may impact trademark and brand owners' rights in the Facebook social networking space by creating the risk that third parties may adopt a trademark as their personalized Facebook URL. Beginning Saturday, June 13, 2009, Facebook will allow individuals to register usernames that will direct others to a personalized Facebook URL (somewhat like a personalized domain address). Facebook has also invited owners of registered trademarks to file their marks with Facebook to prevent use of those marks as usernames. Click here for more information on the application process. To help protect their trademark and brand rights, and pre-empt attempts by third parties to grab trademarks as personalized Facebook URLs, trademark owners should consider registering their marks with Facebook prior to June 13 (or as soon as possible) by completing the on-line form. By not filing trademark or brand names with Facebook, owners of such rights could risk infringing use of the marks as usernames by third parties. Trademark or brand owners also may desire to sign up for usernames by logging into Facebook to create their own URL corresponding to their trademarks or brands on June 13, or as soon as possible thereafter.
