UK-Based Software Firm Trademarked The Name Threads Over A Decade Ago, Asks Meta To Stop Using The Name

The British software company, Threads Software Limited, in communication through its legal representatives, has formally notified the the Facebook parent.

A UK-based software company has issued a 30-day ultimatum to Facebook parent Meta to stop using the name Threads in the UK, citing its ownership of the trademark. The British software company, Threads Software Limited, in communication through its legal representatives, has formally notified the the Facebook parent. If Meta fails to discontinue the use of the name Threads, a touted rival to X, formerly Twitter, Threads Software Limited intends to pursue a legal injunction through the courts.

The British company secured the trademark for Threads more than a decade ago in 2012, for its sophisticated messaging hub, designed to store a company's communications such as emails, tweets, and voice over internet protocol phone calls within a Cloud-based database.

In 2018, the inaugural commercial sale in the US prompted JPY Ltd to establish Threads Software Ltd as a separate entity. The company has since provided licenses to nearly 1,000 organisations globally, with a current annual sales growth of 200 per cent. Starting April 2023, Meta's legal representatives presented four offers to acquire the 'threads.app' domain from Threads Software Ltd, all of which were rejected. It was communicated to Meta-owned Instagram that the domain was not up for sale.

By July 2023, Meta's Instagram unveiled its Threads social media platform and excluded Threads Software Limited from its Facebook platform.

Dr. John Yardley, Managing Director of Threads Software Ltd, said in a statement, "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 recognised brand in the name, Threads. Our business now faces a serious threat from one of the largest technology companies in the world.

“We recognise 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.

“We want them to stop using the Threads name with immediate effect. If they do not, we will seek an injunction from the UK courts.”

During the recent quarterly earnings call, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a significant achievement for Meta's latest social media platform, Threads. Launched in early July, Threads, designed as a direct rival to Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), has amassed nearly 100 million monthly users in a span of three months.