The interplay between trademarks and social media has become increasingly important given the prominence of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter in online marketing. By having a registered trademark, brand owners can better control their presence on these platforms.
The Basics of Trademarks and Social Media
Image via Steve Snodgrass
If you are a brand owner, you already know that social media is a central part of your overall strategy. Part of that strategy involves having usernames that reflect your brand. A registered trademark helps to make that happen. That’s because many of the major social media platforms have terms governing how people can use someone else’s trademarks.
If you have a registered trademark, you will often be able to get these social media platforms to remove a user account or user name that is using your registered trademark. Without the registration, you still might be able to, but not always – and it will probably be more difficult.
How Social Media Sites Handle Trademarks and Social Media
Each social media site has its own method for dealing with the relationship between trademarks and social media. Below is a list of some of the major platforms and links to their trademark dispute resolution procedures. As you will probably notice, most of them will want you to have some sort of registered trademark to use the dispute mechanism:
- Twitter trademark policy. This tells you how trademarks can be used on Twitter and gives you a method of closing down accounts that are using your trademark.
- Youtube trademark policy. A form for reporting infringements – better if you have a registered mark.
- Instagram trademark policy. Common questions about trademarks on Instagram, with information on how to take down an infringer.
- Facebook trademark policy. Information on how to resolve trademark disputes on Facebook.
Owning a registered trademark can help you resolve trademark disputes on social media platforms in your favor.
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