Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post; ‘We can change the meaning’: Trademarks filed for n-word after Supreme Court decision
"Gene Quinn, founder of the intellectual property blog IP Watchdog, said trademarking epithets to limit their use was a “laudable purpose,” but difficult to achieve.
To be maintained, trademarks must be used in interstate commerce, he said, and are awarded in different classes, such as clothing, food or video games. Anyone trying to erase these words from the marketplace would simultaneously need to put them into the marketplace."
Don't be fooled by potentially misleading offers and notices from private companies
Some trademark applicants and registrants have paid fees to private companies, mistakenly thinking they were paying fees required by the USPTO. We do not endorse any of these private companies and you are not required to use them.
Keep reading for information on potentially misleading offers and notices—also called solicitations—and how to identify them. You can also watch our "Solicitation Alert" video below.
On this page:
- Trademark Information Network News Video: Solicitation Alert
- What is a trademark-related solicitation?
- What kinds of trademark-related services do private companies offer?
- How can I tell the difference between potentially misleading trademark offers and notices and legitimate USPTO emails and notices?
- Are the deadlines in these offers and notices accurate?
- I received a misleading trademark offer or notice. What should I do?
- Do you have any examples of potentially misleading offers or notices?"