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| Littergram 'gets deadline' from Instagram to change name | Littergram 'gets deadline' from Instagram to change name |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The owner of an anti-litter app says he has been told he has until Friday to confirm with solicitors for Instagram and Facebook he will change its name. | The owner of an anti-litter app says he has been told he has until Friday to confirm with solicitors for Instagram and Facebook he will change its name. |
| Littergram invites people to share pictures of rubbish on their smartphone and report it to their council. | |
| Danny Lucas, of Wrotham, Kent, has been asked to change it to a "unique name that does not call to mind" Instagram. | Danny Lucas, of Wrotham, Kent, has been asked to change it to a "unique name that does not call to mind" Instagram. |
| Facebook, which owns the US photo-sharing giant, said it was "obliged to protect its brand". | Facebook, which owns the US photo-sharing giant, said it was "obliged to protect its brand". |
| More news from Kent | More news from Kent |
| Lawyers for the US photo-sharing giant Instagram, which was bought by Facebook for $1bn (£629m) in 2012, said the name was "not acceptable". | Lawyers for the US photo-sharing giant Instagram, which was bought by Facebook for $1bn (£629m) in 2012, said the name was "not acceptable". |
| Mr Lucas said he thought the case had been closed in May. | Mr Lucas said he thought the case had been closed in May. |
| "We agreed to not trademark it... they agreed to us trademarking it for t-shirts, bags," he said. | "We agreed to not trademark it... they agreed to us trademarking it for t-shirts, bags," he said. |
| Mr Lucas said he was then given until the end of April to confirm a change in name. | Mr Lucas said he was then given until the end of April to confirm a change in name. |
| He then assumed the matter was closed when Facebook said in May "they were merely taking steps to stop us trademarking". | He then assumed the matter was closed when Facebook said in May "they were merely taking steps to stop us trademarking". |
| In a statement, Facebook said: "For several months we've being engaged in a conversation to see if there's a way for them to have an app which is different enough to Instagram, but ultimately Littergram is a photo-sharing app which operates in a similar way. | In a statement, Facebook said: "For several months we've being engaged in a conversation to see if there's a way for them to have an app which is different enough to Instagram, but ultimately Littergram is a photo-sharing app which operates in a similar way. |
| "We therefore asked them to change their name to avoid infringing our trademark. | "We therefore asked them to change their name to avoid infringing our trademark. |
| "At this point, we've merely taken steps to object to their registration of the name as a trademark. | "At this point, we've merely taken steps to object to their registration of the name as a trademark. |
| "We're obliged to take reasonable measures to protect our brand." | "We're obliged to take reasonable measures to protect our brand." |
| 'Avoid court' | 'Avoid court' |
| In response, Mr Lucas said: "It's exactly not what they're saying now, because they're saying change your name. | In response, Mr Lucas said: "It's exactly not what they're saying now, because they're saying change your name. |
| "We're not trademarking it. We'd already agreed not to do that in November 2015." | "We're not trademarking it. We'd already agreed not to do that in November 2015." |
| He added he was happy to discuss the matter further with Facebook. | He added he was happy to discuss the matter further with Facebook. |
| "Don't go to the courts because we've not got the money for that," he said. | "Don't go to the courts because we've not got the money for that," he said. |