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A court in Sao Paulo has mandated that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, must cease using its name in Brazil within 30 days following a lawsuit filed by a local computer services provider with the same name.
The lawsuit alleges that the similarity in names has led to confusion among third parties, causing harm to the plaintiff.
Legal Ruling Issued on Wednesday
The ruling was issued on Wednesday and disclosed by Brazilian newspaper Valor on Thursday evening. It requires Meta to discontinue using its name in Brazil within the specified timeframe.
Meta, encompassing platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp, has yet to respond to requests for comment. However, the decision is subject to appeal by Mark Zuckerberg’s technology conglomerate.
Plaintiff’s Claims:
The plaintiff, Barueri-based Meta Services, asserts that it registered its brand with Brazil’s National Institute for Intellectual Property in the late 2000s.
Since Meta’s rebranding in 2021, the plaintiff contends that it has been wrongly implicated in over 100 legal disputes and has encountered challenges, including suspending Instagram profiles over alleged impersonation.
Meta’s Rebranding and Focus on the Metaverse:
Failure to comply with the court’s directive may result in penalties for Meta, with an appeals court stipulating a fine of 100,000 reais ($20,201) per day for non-compliance.
Previously known as Facebook, Meta embarked on a rebranding initiative emphasizing the development of the “metaverse,” a virtual environment envisaged as the successor to mobile internet.
