Facebook's Calibra Faces Lawsuit Over 'Copied' Logo Design

Allan Adamson, Tech Times 13 October 2019, 07:10 am

Gavel — (Photo : Daniel Bone | Pixabay ) The founder of the mobile banking firm Current thinks that Facebook copied his company's logo. Interestingly, the two logos were made by the same San Francisco-based branding firm, which is also a defendant in the lawsuit.

Facebook's Calibra is facing a lawsuit over its logo design. The complaint alleges that Calibra's logo is too similar to that of a mobile banking firm.

Confusingly Similar Logos

Facebook introduced Calibra as the division that will oversee its cryptocurrency project. Current founder Stuart Sopp, however, thinks that Facebook copied his company's logo for a project that aims to reinvent the global financial system.

The lawsuit alleges that Calibra's logo is not only confusingly similar, but also virtually identical to that of Current's. The FinTech reportedly filed an application for its logo on June 26 a few days before Facebook unveiled Calibra.

Current is seeking monetary damages and a preliminary injunction.

"This is a funny way to try and create trust in a new global financial system — by ripping off another fintech firm," Sopp told CNBC.

"Facebook has all the money and resources in the world. If they truly wanted to make banking more inclusive and fair, they should've come up with their own ideas and branding, like we have."

Made By The Same Branding Firm

The logos are not just similar. They also have the same stories of origin. Both logos were made by San Francisco-based branding and design firm Character, which is also a defendant in the lawsuit. It is not clear though if the same team members worked on the two accounts.

According to Howard Shire, who works in the intellectual property department of the law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP, it is suspicious that Calibra's logo is from the same firm that created Current's logo, albeit there could be an explanation that can be found in the communications or contracts between the two firms.

Sopp claimed that he spent months working with Character to develop his firm's logo, a wave, which was meant to capture the importance of the movement of money and people.

Sopp said that Current applied for trademarks in 2016 but these are still pending.