Dfinity, the developer of the decentralized computing network Internet Computer, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Meta, which depicts the infinity symbol.
According to lawsuitfiled by Dfinity lawyers with the District Court for the Northern District of California, Meta Platforms uses the same mathematical symbol in its logo to express the concept of infinity. The mathematician John Wallis began using the side-eight shape to represent the concept of infinity in the 17th century, and the symbol had been used centuries earlier. However, Dfinity’s lawyers clarified that their lawsuit is not related to the use of the infinity symbol itself, but to the registration of a trademark by Meta to work in similar areas as Dfinity: software and blockchain technology.
Lawyers for Dfinity said that the company registered its trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in October 2018, while Meta filed an application with the Office in March 2022. At the same time, Dfinity has used the infinity symbol on its website since March 2017. The lawsuit states that Meta and Dfinity seek to reach the same audience interested in the latest technology. Both companies use the same marketing channels, so users may be confused by the use of the same symbols by both companies.
“The similarity of the Dfinity and Meta trademarks will cause confusion among our customers. They may mistakenly assume that Meta services are sponsored by or affiliated with Dfinity. Unlike Facebook’s centralized system, Dfinity focuses on decentralization and interoperability. Any association of Dfinity with Meta will make consumers question the core mission of Dfinity. Meta knew that Dfinity was already using the mark, and despite this, deliberately applied for trademark registration in areas where Dfinity already operates. Thus, Meta ignored the rights of Dfinity, ”the lawsuit states.
Dfinity demanded that Meta reimburse her legal fees and also paid her a fine due to possible confusion about the source, origin and funding of Meta’s products and services. Dfinity’s lawyers are demanding that the case be heard before a jury.
Recall that in 2020, a similar lawsuit was filed against Ripple Labs by the Australian financial services company New Payments Platform Australia (NPPA). According to the plaintiff, the NPPA and Ripple Labs projects are similar not only in name, but also in functionality.
Source: Bits
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
