This is a machine translation of a Brazilian press release. Meta
The São Paulo Court of Justice has unanimously decided to stop Facebook from inappropriately using the Meta brand in Brazil.
In a ruling this Wednesday, February 28, Judges Seito, Fortes Barboza, and César Ciampolini ruled that a U.S. company, in its communication channels for the country, is a Brazilian company whose name Meta has no connection to the Facebook group. The court ruled that there will be a permanent notification that the . U.S. companies have 30 days to comply with the court order.
This decision was made at the request of META®️, a digital transformation consultancy that has been working with the brand for 34 years. Founded in 1990, the company applied for brand registration in 1996 and was granted by INPI in 2008. Over a decade later, in 2021, I was surprised to see a Facebook group using the name Meta indiscriminately. Brazil is using it without registering for such use, leading to unprecedented confusion, losses and demands on the companies that owned the original brand in various areas such as legal, administrative, technical and reputational. , and they worsened over time. To name a few examples:
– There are already 143 legal proceedings in which META®️ is incorrectly listed as a defendant in cases that should target US companies.
The legal institutions of Brazilian companies had to strengthen their operations before the judicial authorities, since the number of previously existing cases was small compared to the volume of cases they began to receive. In this context, it is noted that in recent months, 49 hearings have been scheduled in processes related to Facebook, at which Mr. Mehta has been present or is required to attend. worth it.
– META®️ does not accept letters from Procon requesting action in response to complaints from users of these networks regarding issues related to Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, as well as administrative notices and notices to file defenses. It has also received several extrajudicial notices, including a letter sent by the Civil Affairs Bureau. Police and judicial authorities request violation of confidentiality and blocking of Instagram and Facebook accounts.
– Official META®️ channels on the Internet are receiving hateful messages, complaints, and inappropriate requests from people who appear to be referring to U.S. companies.
– On company rating portals like Glassdoor and Reclame Aqui, META®️ is negatively confused with US companies that are disrupting the recruitment and selection process.
In the case, the judges emphasized that META®️ registration in Brazil has existed for more than a quarter of a century and warned that foreign companies must also comply with Brazilian law if they wish to operate in the country.
According to the judges, this confusing scenario affects not only consumers but also public institutions such as law enforcement agencies, police departments, and even the judiciary. In support of this decision, the judges concluded that the huge number of META®️ charges unfairly directed against U.S. companies, given the hundreds of millions of users of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook in the country. He noted the continued increase in legal actions.
Faced with this scenario, the judge recognized that peaceful coexistence is not possible and that the exclusive rights of those who first applied for trademark registration should prevail.
META®️ says it continues to work hard with more than 3,000 employees to serve 300 customers across eight countries in the Americas and Europe. “This court’s decision underscores Meta’s journey, which we founded in 1990, to realize our purpose of using technology to advance human development and strengthen business. It demonstrates the value we bring to society,” said Telmo Costa, CEO and Chief Executive Officer. Founder of META®️.
About meta
Meta is a technology and innovation company focused on digital transformation (DX) that puts humans at the center of every project, from defining digital strategies to delivering complete technology solutions.
The company has been in the market for 34 years and operates all over the world. He has 300 customers in over 8 countries and a team of over 3,000 people. Meta’s role is to simplify digital transformation (DX), starting where the customer is, understanding what their challenges are, and working with them to create journeys that deliver business outcomes. .
