Facebook announced last week that it's changing its name to Meta. But the transition might not be without obstacles.
A company is already after the "Meta" trademark - and was well before Facebook rolled out its new moniker.
Arizona-based startup Meta PC founder Zach Shutt told Insider the company filed for the "Meta" trademark in August. The Patent and Trademark Office website confirms the filing, which states that Meta PC first began using the brand for its range of products in November 2020.
Meta PC sells computers, disk drives, keyboards, and other devices.
US Patents and Trademark Office
Facebook, formerly known as Meta,also filed to trademark the name on Oct. 28, according to its filing with the Patents and Trademark Office.
A federal trademark gives a company legal nationwide protection for its brand and helps to identify its goods and services, according to the Patent and Trademark Office. However, it doesn't mean that a company would legally own a particular word and would be able to prevent others from using it.
For example, if Facebook was granted a trademark for Meta, that wouldn't mean the company would own the word - and it couldn't prevent a company outside of its industry from using it. It's unclear if a court would rule that MetaPC and Facebook are in the same wheelhouse though, given their vastly different businesses.
The filings haven't been approved - the filings are still listed as "live" - meaning Meta PC doesn't own the "Meta" brand just yet. Still, it did file its petition a full two months before Facebook announced its rebrand - meaning the tech giant could face a legal battle, even if it's in the form of patent trolling.
