X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, is facing a federal lawsuit in Florida from X Social Media, a legal-marketing company, which alleges that the social media giant's new name infringes upon its trademark incorporating the letter "X."
X Social Media's lawsuit claims that the rebranding of X Corp to X by owner Elon Musk in July is likely to create consumer confusion. This legal action marks the initial in what could become a series of trademark disputes involving Musk's company and the letter "X," which is frequently used in tech branding.
The letter "X" is part of hundreds of federal trademarks owned by various companies, including Microsoft and Meta Platforms. X Corp recently applied for its own US trademarks related to the letter.
X Corp has not yet responded to the complaint, while X Social Media has chosen not to comment on the matter.
X Social Media, based in Windermere, Florida, specializes in mass-tort litigation advertising. Established in 2015 by Jacob and Roseanna Malherbe, the agency aimed to connect Florida panhandle residents with attorneys following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The agency has been using the name "X Social Media" since 2016 and holds a federal trademark for it. According to the lawsuit, the company has invested over $400 million in Facebook advertising to reach potential clients.
The legal action alleges that Twitter's rebranding has already led to customer confusion and a decline in revenue for X Social Media. It seeks a court order to compel Musk's company to cease using the "X" name and requests unspecified monetary damages.
