Facebook’s recent launch of “Meta” made legal news when it was widely reported that another technology company, Arizona-based Meta PC, had filed for a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO) for “Meta” in August 2021. Facebook filed its own trademark application with the USPTO in October 2021. By November, it was reported that Meta PC may have demanded millions of dollars to settle a potential dispute over ownership of the name.

Not all disputes are avoidable. However, in the world of trademark law, risk can often be mitigated by proper due diligence prior to using a mark.