infoneer-pulse:

Facebook is trying to expand its trademark rights over the word “book” by adding the claim to a newly revised version of its “Statement of Rights and Responsibilities,” the agreement all users implicitly consent to by using or accessing Facebook.

You may recall that Facebook has launched multiple lawsuits against websites incorporating the word “book” into their names. Facebook, as far as we can tell, doesn’t have a registered trademark on “book.” But trademark rights can be asserted based on use of a term, even if the trademark isn’t registered, and adding the claim to Facebook’s user agreement could boost the company’s standing in future lawsuits filed against sites that use the word.

“Unregistered marks are quite common in the US,” University of Minnesota Law Professor William McGeveran told Ars. “Rights arise from use, not registration (though registration does give you some other advantages). That’s how Facebook can try to claim ‘book.’” If you see a ™ next to a name, that indicates an unregistered, claimed trademark, whereas an R in a circle signifies a registered one, McGeveran notes.

» via ars technica

(Source: ideasatrandom)

Shea Bennett via AllTwitter

Cisco surveyed 2,800 college students and recently employed graduates and discovered that two thirds will actively enquire about a firm’s social media policies during a job interview, with some 56% refusing to work at a company that bans social media.

 When you consider that a third of the students polled “consider the Internet to be as important as air, water, food, and shelter”, this isn’t all that surprising, especially as the internet for many young people nowadays is Facebook and Twitter.

Other key takeaways:

• A third of the students polled prioritized social media freedom over salary
• 4/5 students want to be able to choose the devices they use in their jobs
• 68% of the employed graduates believe that corporate devices should be used for social media and personal use

(Source: stoweboyd)