X was spooked enough by new Twitter to change its terms of service

Regardless of altering its identify and utilizing decidedly bird-free branding, X is making an attempt to carry on to its authentic Twitter logos, TechCrunch reports. The xAI-owned social media platform has up to date its phrases of service to incorporate references to Twitter after beforehand solely mentioning X, and seemingly tried to counter a startup’s petition to cancel the corporate’s Twitter logos with a petition of its personal.

The startup X seems to be responding to is Operation Bluebird, an organization cofounded by former Twitter normal counsel Stephen Coates that went public last week with plans to seize what stays of Twitter for its personal use. Step one in that course of was submitting a petition with the US Patents and Trademark Workplace to cancel X’s management of Twitter’s logos.

“The TWITTER and TWEET manufacturers have been eradicated from X Corp.’s merchandise, companies and advertising and marketing, successfully abandoning the storied model, with no intention to renew use of the mark,” Operation Bluebird defined within the petition. “Petitioner seeks to make use of and register the TWITTER and TWEET manufacturers for brand new services, together with a social media platform that can be positioned on the web site twitter.new.”

In equity to Operation Bluebird, Elon Musk was very open about his plan to abandon the Twitter name and bird logo after he acquired the company in 2022. “And shortly we will bid adieu to the twitter model and, steadily, all of the birds,” Musk posted in July 2022, not lengthy earlier than Twitter was rebranded to X. Even after the platform rebranded, although, at the least one remnant of the unique Twitter model has caught round: Twitter.com nonetheless redirects to X.com.

The up to date terms of service TechCrunch noticed now say that as of January 16, 2025, “nothing within the Phrases provides you a proper to make use of the X identify or Twitter identify or any of the X or Twitter logos, logos, domains, different distinctive model options, and different proprietary rights, and chances are you’ll not accomplish that with out our specific written consent.” The corporate’s counterpetition additionally reiterates that the Twitter logos are X’s “unique property.”

In an announcement to Engadget, Coates mentioned that Operation Bluebird’s cancellation petition was “primarily based on well-established trademark legislation” and that he believes the upstart will prevail. “X legally deserted the TWITTER mark, publicly declared the Twitter model ‘lifeless,’ and spent substantial assets establishing a brand new model id. Our cancellation petition is predicated on well-established trademark legislation and we imagine we can be profitable. They mentioned goodbye. We are saying howdy.”

On the time of writing, Operation Bluebird has satisfied over 145,200 individuals to claim a handle on the corporate’s new social platform. Possibly X sees that early curiosity as a menace, however it’s simply as attainable Operation Bluebird’s public feedback had been sufficient to tip the corporate off so it may attempt to maintain on to logos it clearly believes nonetheless maintain some worth.

Replace, December 16, 2025, 4:13PM PT: This story was up to date so as to add an announcement from Stephen Coates.