X updates its terms, files countersuit for ‘Twitter’ trademark after newcomer challenge

Elon Musk’s X updates its terms of service to indicate that it still claims the “Twitter” trademark. Follow the step to add these details to your company terms advertisement From a Virginia-based startup that recently filed to trademark the term “Twitter.”

The startup, Operation Bluebird, claims that X has abandoned the “Twitter” branding by renaming its social networking service to “X.” In the petition it filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office on December 2, the startup pointed to a post from owner

X now challenges this claim with Counter suit Her own. (A copy of the file was shared with TechCrunch via the IP trademark law firm Tanning intellectual property; It has not yet been featured in PACER as of press time.) In the filing, X says it still exclusively owns the Twitter and Tweet trademarks and the Bluebird logo.

Since its introduction Petition In order to cancel, Operation Bluebird collected registrations of potential users of its own social network on a website called Twitter.new. the Voltage direction By two lawyers, including the founder michael beroff, Based in Illinois, Stephen Coatesformerly a trademark attorney at Twitter. Given their background, their assertion that they are planning to launch a new service to rival X seems questionable. They are more likely to want the brand, which has its own value.

However, X does not take his chances. Revised Terms of Serviceeffective January 15, 2026, provides that:

“Nothing in the Terms grants you the right to use the X name, the Twitter name, or any of the

Previously, terms only referred to X in this section. There was no mention of Twitter.

The Terms also include other, more minor updates, including references regarding EU laws and generated content. X’s privacy policy has also been updated with two references to Lifetime Guarantee technology.

This article was updated with a link to the countersuit after its initial publication.