Elon Musk is not keen to give up the Twitter name, moves to block rival claim

Twitter X

Elon Musk’s X has moved to publicly reinforce its claim over the Twitter brand, updating its Terms of Service to make clear that it still owns the Twitter name, trademarks, and iconic bluebird logo. The change comes in response to a recent legal filing by a US startup that argues X effectively abandoned the Twitter brand after rebranding the platform.

The update follows a petition filed on December 2 by Operation Bluebird, a Virginia-based startup that has applied to trademark the word “Twitter”. In its filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office, the company argues that X relinquished its rights when it renamed the social network and openly distanced itself from the Twitter identity.

Operation Bluebird pointed to a July 23, 2023 post by Musk, in which he said the platform would soon “bid adieu to the twitter brand”. The startup claims this statement, combined with the full rebrand to X, amounts to abandonment under trademark law.

X is now directly pushing back. In a countersuit filed this month, the company argues that it has continued to exclusively own the Twitter and Tweet trademarks, along with the bluebird logo. The filing was shared with TechCrunch by trademark law firm Gerben IP, though it had not yet appeared on the PACER court system at the time of publication.

At the same time, Operation Bluebird has been collecting interest for what it describes as a future social network via the domain Twitter.new. The effort is being led by two lawyers, Michael Peroff, based in Illinois, and Stephen Coates, a former trademark lawyer at Twitter itself. Given their backgrounds, the suggestion that they plan to launch a full-scale rival platform appears questionable. A more likely outcome is an attempt to gain leverage over a trademark that still carries substantial commercial value.

X’s response suggests it is not willing to leave any ambiguity. Its revised Terms of Service, which take effect on January 15, 2026, now explicitly state that users have no right to use either the X name or the Twitter name, nor any associated trademarks, logos, or brand assets, without written permission. Previously, this section referenced only X, with no mention of Twitter at all.

Alongside the trademark language, X also made a handful of smaller changes to its terms, including updates related to European Union regulations and AI-generated content. Its Privacy Policy was revised as well, adding references to age assurance technology.

While the wording update may look routine, it signals a clear intent. Despite the public rebrand, X is treating the Twitter name not as a relic of the past, but as a legal asset still worth defending.