X files trademark suit to block startup’s use of Twitter name, brand
At the centre of the dispute is Operation Bluebird’s argument that X effectively gave up the “Twitter” name, the bluebird logo, and terms such as “tweet” when it rebranded to X in 2023.
Social media company X, formerly known as Twitter, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a startup, Operation Bluebird, escalating a legal fight over ownership of the iconic Twitter name and brand.
The suit, filed in a US federal court, accuses Operation Bluebird of attempting to unlawfully claim trademarks that X says it has never abandoned, despite its high-profile rebrand under Elon Musk.
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At the centre of the dispute is Operation Bluebird’s argument that X effectively gave up the “Twitter” name, the blue-bird logo, and terms such as “tweet” when it rebranded to X in 2023.
The startup, which is led by trademark lawyers and includes a former Twitter intellectual property counsel, petitioned the US Patent and Trademark Office to cancel X’s Twitter trademarks.
It has also signalled plans to launch a rival social platform aimed at restoring what it calls “Twitter as it was”, by opening reservations under the domain twitter.new.
X strongly disputes those claims.
In its lawsuit, X argues that the Twitter brand remains in active use and retains enormous public recognition. The platform is still accessible through twitter.com, and millions of users continue to refer to posts as tweets.
The brand, X says, has not met the legal threshold for abandonment under US trademark law.
Allowing another company to use the Twitter name, X argues, would create confusion and falsely suggest an official link to Musk’s platform.
The company is seeking court orders to block Operation Bluebird from using Twitter-related names or symbols, alongside damages for what it describes as deliberate trademark infringement.
X has also moved to reinforce its position by updating its terms and policies to explicitly assert ownership of the Twitter trademarks, signalling it intends to continue defending the legacy brand even as it pushes the X identity.
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