Facebook wins trademark battle in China

Many Chinese businesses lack a sensitivity to trademark and copyright laws.  Western companies are taking some of these businesses to court.  Although Apple has recently lost such a case, Facebook has fared better.

Facebook trademark case

Facebook has won a trademark case in mainland China against a company that registered "face book" as its brand name. Chinese law states any multinational company that is recognized globally needs to prove its trademark in China as well.

The Beijing High Court ruled the company named Zhongshan Pearl River, which produces potato chips and canned vegetables, should not have been allowed to register the "face book" trademark in 2014, a lawyer involved in the case told the Financial Times.

The court said the company had "violated moral principles" with "obvious intention to duplicate and copy from another high-profile trademark".

Facebook blocked in China

Facebook is blocked in China since 2009 but users can access the social network site through virtual private networks (VPNs). Twitter is also widely used in China via VPNs. Other companies such as LinkedIn are allowed to operate in the country in compliance with the country's censorship regime.
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Source: International Business Times;  Sarmistha Acharya, posted May 9, 2016