São Paulo court orders Meta to cease use of name in Brazil

On 28 February, the Court of Justice of São Paulo issued a significant ruling affecting technology giant Meta Platforms. The decision orders the company to stop using its trade mark in Brazil within 30 days or face a daily fine of €18,590.
The legal dispute arose from a lawsuit filed by Meta Serviços em Informática, a Brazilian company founded more than 30 years ago that owns a trade mark registered with Brazil's National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI). The local company argues that the change of name from Facebook to Meta in 2021 has caused confusion among consumers, damaged its business and even involved it in 140 lawsuits that should be directed against the US company.
The future of Meta in Brazil remains uncertain, as Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, still has two options: he can comply with the court order and seek a new name for his platform in the country, or he can appeal the decision and face legal proceedings.