San Francisco, Jul 20 (IANS): Meta, a small business operating in the immersive and experiential technology industry since 2010, has filed a lawsuit against Facebook for trademark violation, alleging that Mark Zuckerberg's name change violated its established brand.

The installation art company said that for 12 years, it has powered the types of experiences and products that Facebook is now building and has served the same creators and consumers that Facebook is now targeting.

META's lawsuit alleged that Facebook unlawfully seized its mark and name -- willfully violating its trademark rights and engaging in egregious acts of unfair competition.

"On October 28, 2021, Facebook seized our META mark and name, which we put our blood, sweat, and tears into building for over twelve years," the company said in a post late on Tuesday.

"Today, after eight months of trying to negotiate with Facebook in good faith to no avail, we were left with no choice but to file a lawsuit against them."

"This case is about ensuring the collective protection of rights to our work, innovation, and intellectual property, which we have devoted our lives to buildinga" as we evolve towards a more equitable digital and social future," said the original Meta.

"META has spent 12 years supporting, developing, and protecting the creator community, creators' rights, and ironically, creators' intellectual property," said Justin Bolognino, META's Founder & CEO.

"Facebook's actions, illegally usurping our name and mark, have not only put our business in jeopardy, but that of the entire industry and the intellectual property rights of the innovators that have helped build it," he alleged.

Meta (formerly Facebook) was yet to react to the lawsuit.

The complaint alleged that Facebook is now doing exactly what Meta has done for over a decade -- conducting the same immersive experiences, at the same events and venues, and working with the same creators and companies.

"As a result of Facebook's actions, consumers are likely to mistakenly believe that Meta's products and services emanate from Facebook or that META is affiliated with Facebook. The Meta mark is now infected by the toxicity that is inextricably linked with Facebook," said the company.

Bolognino said that Facebook acts like it can freely destroy the communities Meta has helped develop, overrun the industry, and obliterate its business.

"But today, Meta is taking a stand against Facebook's flagrant and unlawful conduct," he said.