Facebook Gives Teachbook an F

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - Facebook claims schoolteachers copied its work and should get an F. The social networking site claims that Teachbook.com "rides on the coattails of the fame and enormous goodwill of the Facebook trademark" in "a blatant attempt to become Facebook 'for Teachers.'"

Facebook, which claims more than 500 million users, sued Teachbook.com LLC on claims of trademark infringement and dilution, false designation, unfair competition, and cybersquatting.

According to the complaint: "Defendant has touted on its website the Teachbook is a substitute for Facebook: ''Many schools forbid their teachers to maintain Facebook and MySpace accounts because of the danger that students might learn personal information about their teachers. With Teachbook, you can manage your profile so that only other teachers and/or school administrators can see your personal information, blogs, posts, and so on. Teachbook is all about community, utility, and communication for teachers.'"

Teachbook also allows users to browse lesson plans by subject, manage grading online and post education-related blogs.

Teachbook misappropriated the "book" part of Facebook's name to falsely suggest a connection between the sites, though none exists, Facebook says.

It demands that Teachbook be ordered to cede its domain name to Facebook, disgorge all the profits derived from the site and pay treble damages. It is represented by Emily Burns with Cooley LLP.

The 14-page federal complaint includes 58 pages of exhibits.

Follow @MariaDinzeo

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit