UK company Threads Software has given a 30 days ultimatum to tech giant Meta, to cease using the name Threads for its newly launched social networking app.
Threads Software Company is reported to have trademarked its name in 2012 by JPY Ltd, for its intelligent messaging hub, which can store a company’s emails, tweets, and voice over Internet protocol phone calls in a cloud database.
The Threads service has been actively promoted worldwide since 2014, and following the first commercial sale in the US in 2018, JPY Ltd spun off a new company, Threads Software Ltd. According to the press release, it has since licensed nearly 1,000 organizations worldwide with sales currently growing at 200% a year.
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The software company announced that if Meta fails to stop using the name Threads, it will not hesitate to seek an injunction from the court.
In a press release, the British company said it had declined the four offers that Meta’s lawyers made to purchase its domain “threads.app from Threads Software Ltd in April 2023. Following the launch of Meta threads in July this year, the managing director of Threads Software Limited, John Yardley said the business has continued to face a serious threat from one of the largest tech companies in the world.
In his words,
“Taking on a US$ 150 billion company is not an easy decision for us to make. We have invested 10 years in our platform, establishing a recognized brand in the name, Threads. Our business now faces a serious threat from one of the largest technology companies in the world.
“We recognize that this is a classic ‘David and Goliath’ battle with Meta. And whilst they may think they can use whatever name they want, that does not give them the right to use the Threads brand name.”
The UK company added that at the same time, Meta announced the launch of Threads, it was removed from Facebook.
Meta which launched Threads in July 2023, recorded remarkable success which saw it attract 100 million users in just five days. Soon after, user engagement began to drop on the platform as it continued to introduce in-demand features to enhance user retention and attract more people to the app.
This is not the first time Meta has been sued for trademark issues. In July 2022, an installation-art company called META (or Meta.is) announced that it will sue Meta (Facebook) for trademark violation, alleging that Zuckerberg’s name change violated the smaller company’s established brand.
It is worth noting that situations like this highlights the importance of navigating the legal and regulatory landscape when launching a new product, especially in industries like technology where intellectual property and branding are highly competitive and protected.