Twitter, now rebranded as "X," could face legal challenges over its new name and logo, per a Reuters report. Companies like Meta and Microsoft already own trademarks related to the letter "X." Trademark attorney Josh Gerben predicts that Twitter is likely to be sued by someone over the rebranding. - According to Gerben, there are over 900 live trademark registrations for "X" across industries in the U.S., making it a likely target for legal challenges.
- Microsoft, for example, has held an "X trademark" for its Xbox video game system since 2003.
- Meta owns a 2019 federal trademark for a blue-and-white letter "X" used in software and social media.
- Companies might only take legal action if they perceive Twitter's use of "X" as a threat to their own brand equity, Gerben noted.
Elon Musk's X Corp, which now owns Twitter, has applied for a trademark on the Twitter name itself. - If faced with major legal challenges, Musk could have the option to revert to the original branding.
- Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as "X" reportedly resulted in a value loss estimated between $4B and $20B, as noted in a Time article.
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