**Twitter Persists, Even in X’s Revised Terms of Service**
In a recent turn of events, X Corp. has revised its Terms of Service following a trademark petition asserting that the company had forsaken the Twitter name. This revision seems to be a tactical decision to strengthen its legal position concerning the Twitter brand amidst challenges posed by a Virginia-based startup, Operation Bluebird.
Operation Bluebird has submitted a petition to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to annul several of X’s trademarks, contending that the company has essentially abandoned the Twitter and Tweet brands. The petition claims, “The TWITTER and TWEET brands have been eliminated from X Corp.’s products, services, and marketing, effectively discarding the historic brand, with no desire to resume use of the mark.” This claim emphasizes the considerable branding change that has taken place since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter and the subsequent transformation into X.
Experts consulted by Ars Technica have indicated that Operation Bluebird may have a legitimate case, considering the evident absence of the Twitter brand in X’s present activities. The lack of a response from X at the time of the initial report suggested a possible lapse in addressing the trademark issues.
Nevertheless, X has now initiated measures to bolster its claim over the Twitter trademark. The revised Terms of Service clearly specify that users do not possess the right to utilize the X or Twitter names, trademarks, logos, or any associated branding features without explicit written permission from the company. This legal clarification is intended to affirm X’s ownership and usage rights regarding the Twitter brand, potentially complicating Operation Bluebird’s initiatives.
The resolution of this trademark dispute will eventually be determined by the USPTO, which will evaluate the legitimacy of Operation Bluebird’s claims against X’s updated legal declarations. The situation provokes questions about the future of the Twitter brand and whether X ought to keep its trademark rights.
As the legal processes proceed, the tech community and users are left to contemplate the repercussions of this trademark conflict. Should X lose the Twitter trademark, it could signal a major transformation in branding and identity for the platform previously recognized as Twitter.
