Facebook – trademarks this time
June 21, 2009
Facebook has taken a very interesting approach to trademarks: legitimate trademark owners were invited to submit their trademarks, so Facebook could block other users from using those trademarks. A time limit was set a couple of days ago.
What does that mean? Will Facebook now start deciding who is a genuine trademark holder and who is not?
To give a practical example: if I have a trademark “Coca-Cola” and I did not register it with Facebook, according to Facebook’s registration system, does that mean that you can, tomorrow, use “Coca-Cola” in your personal Facebook page, and I can’t stop you?
Seems like a god-send for litigation lawyers…
The more serious comment though is that big players, Facebook as well as Google and other big internet players, seem to take their own, specific approach to Intellectual Property Rights.
It is uncertain whether by trying to grab so much power over Intellectual Property Rights, and by trying to remould them in their own way, they are actually strengthening or weakening enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.
Watch this space!
The return of the Public Domain – in European politics
June 9, 2009
It is the most amazing development: the Swedish Pirate Party has obtained more than 7% of the vote, and has actually won a seat the European Parliament in last Sunday’s European Elections.
There are of course many fringe parties, but this is a really interesting development. Apparently, they are now Sweden’s third party in terms of party membership.
The Pirate Party aims at severely restricting the scope of copyright, and wishes to pretty much abolish the patent system.
With their campaign, they have succeeded in bringing the discussion on how best to promote (and protect) innovation into the political arena – and that is no small achievement.
It re-inforces the point I have made earlier: the Public Domain (or Open Space, as others call it) is important, and become more so.
Anybody involved in innovation is well advised to properly take into account the effect of the Public Domain on their business model.
