Facebook has long been one of the most visited sites on the internet. Because of this, much of the company’s history has taken place in full view of the public. In fact, it made international news in 2021 when Facebook changed its name to Meta Platforms. With this change came the need for rebranding the company with a new trademark. Unfortunately for Mark Zuckerberg’s empire, it seems the Meta trademark is facing a new significant hurdle.

A Pre-Existing Meta Trademark

It’s been nearly two years since the brand formerly known as Facebook first sought trademark registration for its new logo. The logo consists of the word “Meta” with a geometric design featuring two loops. These loops are similar to the infinity symbol (∞), but it’s clearly designed in such a way to resemble the letter “M.”

Unfortunately for Meta Platforms, this may be what’s causing the issue with the current Meta trademark application. On Dec. 14, 2023, MetaX LLC filed a trademark opposition against the social media giant. MetaX is a company that offers “immersive experiences” via virtual and augmented reality. This makes it a clear competitor to Meta Platforms and their major focus on the metaverse.

The opposition filed by MetaX claims that registration of the Meta logo will infringe on its own Meta trademark — the word “Meta” preceded by a three-dimensional “M” letter. The two logos do have visual similarities, but the current trademark dispute is actually part of a much larger legal battle.

MetaX vs Meta Platforms Litigation

When Facebook rebranded as Meta, it caused waves throughout the intellectual property world. Many companies had already secured trademark rights over the word “Meta,” and some smaller companies threatened to take legal action against the international social media behemoth. MetaX was among these companies.

When MetaX initiated legal action against Meta Platforms in July 2022, many legal experts said they had an uphill battle ahead of them. However, much of this concern was linked directly to the massive reserves of money held by the brand formerly known as Facebook. Such litigation is often expensive — particularly when going up against well-funded opponents.

The Meta trademark litigation between MetaX and Meta Platforms is ongoing. The larger company also faces legal challenges from Metacapital — an investment firm — along with a staffing and tech company known as Megabyte. While there are many legal challenges for the social media company, MetaX may be in a unique position to succeed.

Facebook’s Attempt to Lock Down a Trademark

When Facebook became Meta Platforms, its quest to lock down the Meta trademark was massive. Some legal experts even claimed they might be “trademark squatting” — a bad faith process meant to prevent others from using a trademark and potentially selling it. An example of the company trying to trademark “Meta” for medical masks was presented as evidence.

However, many of the really important issues are raised in the lawsuit filed by MetaX. For one, the virtual and augmented reality company says they discussed a partnership with Facebook back in 2017. They claimed that Facebook representatives were highly impressed with their products — but no partnership ever materialized. They also say that they negotiated with Meta Platforms for eight months before deciding to file litigation.

In the lawsuit filed by MetaX, the company claims that it has used the Meta trademark since at least 2010. Clearly, this far predates Facebook’s rebranding. And thanks to Mark Zuckerberg’s focus on establishing metaverse properties, it’s clear how their services might overlap with those provided by MetaX. This is a recipe for trademark confusion.

What Happens Now?

As many legal scholars have pointed out, a trademark battle with Meta Platforms could turn very expensive. However, MetaX appears ready to fight it on multiple fronts. In addition to their previously filed lawsuit — which seeks to prevent Meta Platforms from using “Meta” to sell virtual reality and similar services — their notice of opposition is going after the Meta trademark and logo.

MetaX seems uniquely positioned to fight back against Zuckerberg’s quest to trademark his new brand.  Cases such as these are often settled, but previous statements by the owner of MetaX seem to imply that the company has no desire to do this. And if it’s true that Facebook previously discussed a partnership with the company, things might very quickly get interesting.