Elon Musk’s X Faces Trademark Lawsuit Filed By Marketing Agency

X Corp, formerly recognized as Twitter, found itself facing a federal court lawsuit in Florida on Monday. The legal-marketing company, X Social Media, alleged that X Corp’s adoption of its new name infringed upon the legal-marketing firm’s trademark, which incorporates the letter “X.”

According to X Social Media, X Corp’s rebranding, initiated by owner Elon Musk in July, had the potential to create confusion among consumers. This case marks the beginning of potential trademark disputes related to Musk’s company and the use of the letter “X,” a common element in tech branding.

It’s worth noting that numerous companies, including Microsoft and Meta Platforms, own federal trademarks that feature the letter “X.” X Corp recently applied for its U.S. trademarks involving the letter “X.”

As of now, X Corp has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit, while X Social Media has chosen to remain silent on the matter.

X Social Media, headquartered in Windermere, Florida, specializes in advertising for mass-tort litigation. The agency’s website indicates that Jacob and Roseanna Malherbe founded it in 2015, aiming to connect Florida panhandle residents with attorneys following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the lawsuit, X Social Media has been using the name “X Social Media” since 2016 and possesses a federal trademark covering it. The legal-marketing company claimed to have invested over $400 million in Facebook advertising to reach potential clients.

The lawsuit further contended that Twitter’s rebranding had already led to customer confusion and a subsequent loss of revenue for X Social Media. It argued that X Corp had rapidly leveraged its social media influence, marketing resources, and national notoriety to establish dominance in consumer perception of its “X” mark.