Judge blocks X rival from using Twitter name, but allows Tweet for now

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Published: 2026-09-05T02:50:16.235Z • Permanent link

A U.S. District Court judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking a rival of X.com, the company that filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and later became part of PayPal, from using the Twitter handle @xcom. The rival company, X, which was founded by Elon Musk and is now an independent entity, had been using the handle since March 2023. However, the court's decision came after Musk's X.com had applied to use the handle in July 2023, citing trademark rights. The judge ruled that the X.com company had priority in using the Twitter handle, citing trademark rights, but allowed X to use the handle for now, pending further proceedings.

The court's decision is the latest in a long-running trademark dispute between the two companies. In 2020, Musk announced that he was rebranding his social media platform, X.com, and had applied to trademark the name. However, the X.com company had been using the handle @xcom since 2015, and had also trademarked the name. The dispute had been ongoing ever since, with both companies fighting for control of the Twitter handle.

The court's decision has significant implications for the social media landscape, particularly for companies that are rebranding or expanding their online presence. The ruling sets a precedent for trademark disputes in the tech industry, and could have far-reaching consequences for companies that are trying to establish a strong online presence.

The court's decision has significant implications for the research community, particularly for those studying social media platforms and online identity. The dispute highlights the challenges of establishing online identity and the importance of trademark rights in the digital age. Researchers at institutions such as Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, have studied the impact of social media platforms on online identity and the importance of trademark rights in this context.

The decision also has significant implications for the markets, particularly for companies that are trying to establish a strong online presence. The ruling sets a precedent for trademark disputes in the tech industry, and could have far-reaching consequences for companies that are trying to establish a strong online presence. For example, companies such as Twitter and Facebook, which have been involved in numerous trademark disputes over the years, may need to reassess their strategies for establishing online identity.

Companies such as X.com and PayPal, which have been involved in the dispute, may need to reassess their strategies for establishing online identity and protecting their trademarks. The decision highlights the importance of trademark rights in the digital age, and could have significant implications for companies that are trying to establish a strong online presence.