H&R Block Sues Square For Copyright Infringement As Jack Dorsey Changes Its Name To ‘Block’

Daily Wire ^ | 12/16/2021 | Ben Zeisloft

[DFG]

Tax preparation company H&R Block is suing Block — formerly known as Square — for copyright infringement.

Until the end of November, Jack Dorsey was the chief executive of both Twitter and Square. Upon Dorsey’s resignation from Twitter, Square — a financial services and digital payments company with many services that overlap those of H&R Block — changed its name to Block in recognition of its blockchain technology capabilities.

[DFG]

https://investors.hrblock.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hr-block-files-trademark-infringement-lawsuit-against-block-inc

[9YearLurker]

I guess we’d better start referring to it as the H&R Blockchain.

[SaveFerris]

GOOD

[Artemis Webb]

H&R Block will win this one.

[DIRTYSECRET]

The Fair Tax can be implemented by lowering the income tax rate to 1% for everyone. A 15% consumption tax implemented with an elimination of the corporate tax. Capital gains too. Congress and the states can then go to work eliminating the income tax altogether. Instead of 9-9-9 it would be 1-0-15. Problem solved.

[SES1066]

As a seasonal preparer for H&R Block (HRB), I know the value of the brand name. We use the shorthand of ‘Block’ as much as people refer to a Coke rather than Coca-Cola. HRB has been in the tax business since 1955 when/as the IRS started to phase-out the offer of preparing taxes in their offices or by mail.

I cannot believe that Jack Dorsey is going into this conflict blind or surprised. It is obvious that he is willing to spend big to ‘grab’ an attractive name. My obvious hope is that he fails.

[Fido969]

I dunno. The complaint is about a word.

[mo]

👍 No one in Fed.gov ...or even state.gov will ever initiate this of themselves.

Same reason a human needs a surgeon to amputate the gangrenous limb for them.....

[Texas Fossil]

This is a clear violation of Block's trademark rights, which threatens to confuse consumers and cause harm.

Can you copyright the word "Block"? Or how about, "Black Block", or "Communist Block", or "Block Head"

Sadly, this may end up with Dorcey (I despise him) buying H&R Block for far more than the company is worth.

[fedupjohn]

Damn, I've been using Square for all of my billing for my business. I didn't know Numbnuts Dorsey owned it.
Now, I gotta finish the migration to Quickbooks, Pronto.

[BiglyCommentary]

Dorsey should use Block Head.

[Openurmind]

“I dunno. The complaint is about a word.”

Lol, I agree... Is Webster’s next because they hit first in a search for that word?

This is petty cry baby opportunism to make a buck.

[SgtHooper]

It should be trademark or service mark.

[PallMal]

Is Webster’s next because they hit first in a search for that word?

I guess you've never tried to apply for a trademark. Companies are highly protective of their trademark names.

Anyone applying for a trademark has to do their due diligence that the name (or even logo) they will use does not violate another company's trademarked logo or name who share the same business category (software / hardware for example).

I can't create a printer and call it "PallMal-HP" printer without possibly getting dinged by Hewlett-Packard for trademark violation.

If however I open a restaurant called "PallMal-HP", then that is not considered a trademark violation, since the name was used in the restaurant business, not software / hardware.

[Openurmind]

I have been in business all my life. I fully understand the restrictions with business names and trademarks. And you cannot lock down “only one universal word” of the English language. A combination of words or letters has to “imply” the very same competitive service. “AltBlock”, “JDBlock” or similar. And if my personal real “legal name” was H.R. Block and I was the only one in my state with that name as a business license name, H&R Block would not have a leg to stand on period.

[Dr. Sivana]

The complaint is about a word. Br>
If the word causes confusion about who is providing the business, it is a VERY big deal. Apple Computer eventually had to pay money to the Beatles' Apple Records because they got into the music selling business. Apple Computer even then was far better known, but Apple Records was first.

BLOCK and H&R Block both deal with financial services. Square can come up with a new name.

[Dr. Sivana]

Can you copyright the word "Block"?

Microsoft managed to trademark "Windows" and sued Lindows (Linux derived OS) all over the world until they found someone who bought the argument (the Dutch).

[Texas Fossil]

I suspect it was more than the word, but included the logo etc.

[Texas Fossil]

H&R Block, Inc., or H&R Block, is an American tax preparation company operating in Canada, the United States, and Australia. The company was founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard Bloch.. As of 2018, H&R Block operates approximately 12,000 retail tax offices staffed by tax professionals worldwide.

[Dr. Sivana]

I suspect it was more than the word, but included the logo etc.

It was the word Lindows. They had to change the word. If it were just the logo, they would have changed the logo by itself. Judge for yourself: