Facebook announced yesterday significant policies that can impact brand owners' online presence. Starting this Saturday, June 13, 2009, Facebook will allow individuals to register usernames that will direct to personalized Facebook URLs. Facebook has also invited owners of registered trademarks to file their marks with Facebook to prevent use of those marks as usernames. To help protect their brands, trademark owners should seriously consider registering their marks with Facebook BEFORE June 13 by completing this simple form. Failure to file trademarks with Facebook could risk infringing use of the marks as usernames by third parties. Trademark owners may also wish to sign up for usernames corresponding to their trademarks on June 13 or as quickly thereafter as possible.
