Meta hit with trademark lawsuit by virtual-reality company MetaX

Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc was hit with a trademark lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday by MetaX LLC, a company that creates immersive virtual-reality experiences, for allegedly stealing its name for its pivot to the metaverse.

New York-based MetaX told the court it had been “crushed” by Facebook’s rebrand and said its “ability to operate as Meta has been eviscerated.”

It accused Meta Platforms of infringing its federal “Meta” trademarks, and requested a court order that blocks the social media company from using “Meta” for goods and services that overlap with MetaX’s as well as an unspecified amount of money damages.