The Supreme Court strikes down a bar on offensive trademarks

ERIK BRUNETTI , the proprietor of a streetwear brand called FUCT, says the name is an acronym for “Friends U Can’t Trust”. The United States Patent and Trademark Office saw it rather differently. FUCT, it said, was “highly offensive” and “vulgar” with “decidedly negative sexual connotations”. Pointing to a provision in the Lanham Act that bars the registration of “immoral or scandalous” marks, the agency declined to bless the brand name.

But three members of the court—Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor and John Roberts, the chief—opted to read “scandalous” more narrowly. In an opinion partially concurring with and partially dissenting from Justice Kagan’s ruling, Justice Sotomayor warned the decision “will beget unfortunate results”. The PTO will no longer have any basis for turning down marks “containing the most vulgar, profane, or obscene words and images imaginable”.

All the justices seem to agree that Congress can write a new law targeting flat-out profanity or vulgarity as long as only modes of expression—not ideas themselves—are cabined. But as Justice Samuel Alito wrote, the justices “are not legislators and cannot substitute a new statute for the one now in force” on their own.

“according to some Supreme Court justices?” Part of the ruling was unanimous, and part of it was 6 to 3.

First step toward promoting mass hate speech. 🤔 wouldn’t be surprised with these fascist conservative justice in courts . 🖕

I knew Fernando Alonso would deteriorate after his F1 career.

PAYWALL...

Who are they to decide ? All words are made up and nothing is vulgar or offensive.

How’s that for freedom of speech?

Ojo aquí Pemex

Keanu Reeves hahahaha

Fucking great!

I thought it was Keanu Reeves at first sight 😂

Is that drdisrespect ?

FuckyTime™ condoms when?

FUCT Pemex EmbamexEUA GobiernoMX SE_mx what about profiting from the use of private logos such as the one in the photo of your article? That belongs to Mexico's PEMEX...anything to comment here?

I thought this was a picture of Keanu Reeves.

Check this Pemex

Keanu really letting himself go..

Good speech shouldn’t be regulated unless it’s a call to violence or likely to cause actually physical harm in certain situations.

FUCT YEAH!!!

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