X / Elon Musk Elon Musk’s X has updated its Terms of Service to explicitly state that it still owns the Twitter trademark, following a legal dispute with a startup that attempted to claim the name for itself.
The update comes after a Virginia-based startup filed paperwork with US regulators, arguing that X abandoned the Twitter brand when it rebranded the platform in 2023. X has now responded with both a countersuit and a change to its terms, reinforcing its claim over the Twitter name and related assets.
The dispute began earlier this month when Operation Bluebird filed a petition with the US Patent and Trademark Office seeking to trademark the term “Twitter.”
The startup argued that the Elon Musk-owned platform relinquished its rights by renaming the social network and pointing to a July 23, 2023, post from Musk stating the platform would soon “bid adieu to the Twitter brand.”
X moves to block Twitter trademark challenge
X is now formally challenging that claim. In a countersuit shared with TechCrunch by trademark law firm Gerben IP, X says it continues to exclusively own the Twitter and Tweet trademarks, as well as the blue bird logo. As of publication, the filing has not yet appeared in the federal PACER system.
Since submitting its petition, Operation Bluebird has also begun collecting sign-ups for a proposed social network at the domain Twitter.new. The effort is being led by two lawyers, including founder Michael Peroff and Stephen Coates, a former trademark lawyer at Twitter.
UnsplashAlongside the legal action, X has updated its Terms of Service to close any ambiguity around brand ownership. The revised terms, which take effect on January 15, 2026, now explicitly reference both X and Twitter trademarks.
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The updated section states that nothing in the terms grants users the right to use the X or Twitter names, trademarks, logos, domain names, or other brand features without express written consent. Previously, this section only referenced X and made no mention of Twitter.
This isn’t the first time Elon Musk’s platform has been sued over trademarks since the 2023 rebrand. Shortly after it went live, they were sued by another social media company for using the ‘X’ branding.