On December 16, 2025, X Corp filed a lawsuit in Delaware federal court against Operation Bluebird, accusing the firm of “brazenly attempting to steal” the Twitter trademarks. 

Days earlier, the company had also revised its Terms of Service to make one point explicit: Twitter is still its property.

The case centres on whether Elon Musk abandoned the Twitter brand when he rebranded the social network as X in July 2023. Operation Bluebird, a Virginia-based startup, says he did. 

In a petition filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on December 2, the group argued that Musk’s rebrand amounted to trademark abandonment, pointing to his 2023 statement that the platform would soon “bid adieu to the twitter brand.”

X rejects that argument outright. In its court filing, the company stated: “The TWITTER brand is alive and well, owned by X Corp., and is not ripe for the picking.” It also said it continues to hold exclusive rights to the Twitter and Tweet trademarks, as well as the bluebird logo, all of which remain registered with the USPTO.

Beyond the courtroom, X has taken steps to reinforce its position in writing. Its updated Terms of Service, which take effect on January 15, 2026, now explicitly restrict the use of both X and Twitter branding. The clause reads:

Nothing in the Terms gives you a right to use the X name or Twitter name or any of the X or Twitter trademarks, logos, domain names, other distinctive brand features, and other proprietary rights, and you may not do so without our express written consent.

Previously, this section referred only to X. Twitter was not mentioned at all.

Operation Bluebird, meanwhile, has begun collecting sign-ups for a proposed social network through a website called Twitter.new. This is being led by two lawyers, founder Michael Peroff, based in Illinois, and Stephen Coates, who previously worked as a trademark lawyer at Twitter itself. 

Given that background, many observers question whether a rival platform is really the goal. We understand that the greater prize may be the trademark itself, which still carries huge commercial value even without an active product attached to it.

That value explains the urgency of X’s response. Twitter is one of the most widely recognised names in the digital economy, with potential uses ranging from licensing to future relaunches. X appears unwilling to leave any legal gap open.

The updated legal documents also include smaller changes. X added references linked to European Union regulations and adjusted its Privacy Policy to include mentions of age assurance technology. These changes, however, are secondary to the message being sent.

X says Twitter is not history, but an asset, the trademark is still owned, still defended, and now firmly written back into the company’s legal framework.

The marketplace, available exclusively to Premium subscribers, allows users to search for handles that are no longer in use and either request or purchase them. X says both complimentary and paid options will be available, with some rare handles priced as high as $2,500 to over seven figures.

According to the company, “The X Handle Marketplace is our industry-first solution to redistribute handles that are no longer in use. Eligible Premium subscribers will be able to search and make requests, with both complimentary and paid options available.”

The marketplace categorises usernames into two main types; Priority and Rare handles.

“Priority” handles, such as @GabrielJones, @PizzaEater, and @ParadoxAI, can be requested at no additional cost by Premium+ and Premium Business subscribers. Once approved, the handle is transferred for free. 

However, if a subscriber cancels or downgrades their plan, the old handle automatically returns to their account after a 30-day grace period.

“Rare” handles, on the other hand, include short, generic, or culturally valuable names like @Pizza, @Tom, and @One. These are not available through standard requests. Instead, they will be offered through public drops or direct, pre-priced purchases by invitation only.

During public drops, multiple users can apply for the same handle. Selection depends on factors such as a user’s past contributions, intended use, and overall engagement on the platform. 

Direct purchases will consider popularity, character length, and cultural relevance in pricing. Once bought, a rare handle remains with the buyer even if they cancel their Premium subscription.

The launch is another big move by Elon Musk to monetise X beyond advertising. Since taking over, Musk has introduced several paid features, including Premium and Premium+ subscriptions, paid verification (blue checkmarks), and ad revenue sharing with creators.

With advertising revenue said to have dropped by more than 50% since Musk’s acquisition, X appears to be doubling down on direct user payments as a way to sustain operations and attract more paying users.

The company says requests for handles will be reviewed within three business days, though not all will be approved. Once a request is granted, the user’s previous handle is safely reserved and cannot be claimed by others.

Regulating the “Digital Real Estate” Market

Usernames have long been treated as a form of digital real estate, with some short or valuable ones traded on the black market for thousands of dollars. X’s new marketplace is designed to legitimise and regulate this demand through a controlled, transparent process.

X explained on its help page that it chose to create a marketplace rather than simply releasing all inactive handles at once to “prevent bot spam or misuse.” The company noted that the new system “allows for fair and secure distribution through a controlled process.”

Users can also “register interest” in specific handles not yet available by adding them to a Watchlist. If the handle becomes eligible later, X will notify them.

Reactions and Concerns

This development has already stirred reactions about digital identity ownership, with warnings that it could lead to impersonation risks or loss of legacy content, particularly for deceased users or defunct brands whose handles may now be reassigned.

Other social platforms have had similar issues. Instagram and TikTok have had cases of username squatting, but neither has launched an official marketplace. Reddit and Discord have discussed comparable ideas but haven’t implemented them at scale.

What makes X different is its tiered access system, pricing transparency, and integration with its subscription tiers, placing the marketplace as a potential driver for user engagement.

In the end, this move blends commerce, community, and competition.

The findings were disclosed in Abuja by Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, who emphasised the urgent need for stronger interventions to protect users.

The report, titled The State of Online Harms in Nigeria, was conducted by Gatefield with support from Luminate and surveyed over 500 Nigerians.

According to the study, young people aged 25 to 34 and women are disproportionately affected, with 58% experiencing some form of online abuse. Despite widespread reports of harmful content, 31% of respondents stated that such content remains online without any action from the platforms.

“These findings are not just statistics, they represent real people facing online abuse, misinformation, and harassment every day. Tech platforms must do more to protect users, and policymakers need to step in where platforms fail,” Ewang stated.

The report also revealed that while 60% of Nigerians have reported cases of online harm, most believe no action was taken. Twitter (X) ranked as the worst platform in addressing harmful content, followed by Facebook (29%) and WhatsApp (12%). In contrast, Instagram was identified as the most responsive, with 26% of users stating that it effectively handles complaints.

A major concern highlighted in the study is the lack of transparency in content moderation by tech giants. Many Nigerians believe these platforms prioritise profits over user safety, with little accountability for harmful content.

Beyond online abuse, misinformation was identified as the most pressing digital threat in Nigeria, with 99% of respondents citing fake news as a significant issue.

Furthermore, 91% of Nigerians expressed concerns that big tech companies wield excessive influence over democracy, raising fears about the role of digital platforms in shaping public opinion and governance.

Experts at the event warned that unchecked misinformation could have severe consequences for national security, elections, and public health. Digital rights advocates called for stronger regulations to ensure tech companies are held accountable and improve content moderation policies.

As Nigeria continues to embrace digital platforms, the report calls on social media companies, civil society organisations, and policymakers to take urgent steps to protect users and create a safer online space.

The delay in disclosure allegedly allowed Musk to buy Twitter shares at prices lower than they might otherwise have been.

According to the SEC, Elon Musk began purchasing Twitter stock in March 2022, surpassing the 5% ownership threshold on March 14. However, he only disclosed this to regulators on April 4, 11 days later than the legal deadline. U.S. law requires investors to notify regulators within ten days of crossing this threshold, a measure designed to ensure market transparency.

By delaying the announcement, the SEC claims Musk gained an unfair advantage, continuing to buy Twitter shares at undervalued prices. His eventual disclosure caused Twitter’s stock price to surge by more than 27%, leaving earlier sellers at a disadvantage. The regulator estimates Musk underpaid by at least $150 million for shares purchased during this period.

The lawsuit seeks to impose a civil fine on Musk and recover profits made from the delayed disclosure. Musk’s legal team, however, has dismissed the case as baseless. His lawyer, Alex Spiro, described the lawsuit as a “harassment campaign” and downplayed the allegations, calling them an administrative oversight related to filing a single form.

This is not Elon Musk’s first clash with the SEC. In 2018, Musk was involved in a case about a Twitter post claiming he had secured funding to take Tesla private. That case was settled with a $20 million fine and conditions requiring Musk to have certain tweets pre-approved by Tesla lawyers.

Musk went on to acquire Twitter, now rebranded as X, for $44 billion in October 2022. But even with the current lawsuit, he is still an influential figure in the business world, with interests spanning Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures.

While its user base is smaller compared to Instagram Threads, which recently reported over 275 million monthly active users, Bluesky’s fast growth is closing the gap. 

Analysis from market intelligence firm Similarweb shows that while Threads initially had five times more daily active users than Bluesky, by mid-November, the lead had narrowed to just 1.5 times.  

In terms of daily website visits, Bluesky has already outpaced Threads in key markets like the United States and the United Kingdom. 

Globally, it is on the brink of overtaking Threads in this metric, as mobile app usage surges, where Bluesky has seen explosive growth.  

According to Similarweb, usage of the Bluesky mobile app in the United States rose by 519% between the beginning of November and mid-month, compared to the first ten months of the year. 

The United Kingdom experienced a similar surge, with a 352% increase. On a global scale, usage on Android devices climbed more than 360%. A temporary spike in Brazilian users earlier this year, during a ban on X in the country, also contributed to these figures, though some users returned to X after the ban was lifted.  

Bluesky’s journey began with an invite-only system before opening to the public in February. Its user base has more than doubled since September when it had just over 9 million users.

In the week following the U.S. presidential election, the app reportedly added one million new users in a single week, averaging over 100,000 new users daily.  

The platform’s growth is partially a result of dissatisfaction with changes on X. Some users have objected to Elon Musk’s endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump and new policies on X, including modifications to the blocking feature and the controversial sale of user data for AI training. 

These changes have driven many users to seek alternatives, with Bluesky becoming a preferred option.  

While X remains the top platform with daily active user counts far surpassing Bluesky’s, the latter’s consistent growth shows it might get close soon enough. 

The Conference notes that transitioning to a Digital Economy remains a major challenge for the country due to inadequate broadband penetration and unreliable internet services.

This was part of the communique issued at the end of GOCOP’s 8th annual conference from October 2nd to 3rd, 2024, at Reverton Hotel in Lokoja, Kogi State. His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, was the Chief Host.

The conference was attended by over 100 members of the Guild and dozens of invited guests from across the country.

The conference with the theme: “Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity, Power Deficit, And Transitioning to Digital Economy” was chaired by a former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Ambassador Mamman Yusuf, with a former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, as the Keynote Speaker.

A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, were Guest Speakers.

On the panel of discussants were: Prof. Rotimi Ajayi of the Department of Political Science, Federal University Lokoja and Ms Debrah Ogazuma, Edutainment Communicator and Veteran Broadcaster.

Day one:

The morning session of Day One of the two-day event featured a capacity building programme on how members of GOCOP could improve on the visibility of their websites and how to generate revenue to survive the harsh business environment.

The resource persons were sourced from within members of the Guild. GOCO President Emeritus, Dotun Oladipo, Publisher of THE EAGLE ONLINE, made a presentation on ‘Website Optimization’, emphasizing the need for members to ensure that their websites are on Google News.

Dr. Max Amuchie, Publisher of SUNDIATA POST, spoke on ‘Maximising Advertising Opportunities’, dwelling on the various revenue options available to online publishers.

The third presentation was made by Mr. Olumide Iyanda, Publisher of QED.NG, on ‘Leveraging Digital Marketing: Strategies for Online Publishers’.

He enjoined publishers to explore online platforms and technologies to promote their news stories and engage with audiences on the various digital platforms like Twitter (X handle), WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of GOCOP was also held in the afternoon during which GOCOP President Maureen Chigbo, presented a report on the State of GOCOP.

She highlighted key events that happened during the year under review like: employment of an Administrative Officer to man the GOCOP secretariat, various support packages that members benefited from through sponsored content and advertorials.

Ms Chigbo informed the congress that GOCOP is now a member of the National Media Complaints Commission (Media Ombudsman) which means our members are now under close watch.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

In pursuit of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), GOCOP President led members on a visit to two orphanage homes – Margaret Garba Ohiani Orphanage/Less Privileged Home and Rehoboth Children’s Homes, in Lokoja, during which various food items were donated.

On Day Two, after the successful hosting of the 2024 Conference, GOCOP issued the following communiqué, focusing on the three areas of the theme – Insecurity, Power Deficit and Digital Economy:

Insecurity:

Since Nigeria returned to democracy 25 years ago, we have been experiencing security challenges ranging from Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatists agitations to Niger Delta militancy.

These security challenges have no doubt impacted negatively on the Nigerian economy thus, causing economic hardships on the citizens.

The Conference notes that poverty and high unemployment rate which is close to about 40% today are major factors contributing to insecurity across the country.

It notes weak governance, inconsistent government policies and widespread corruption in the security forces as factors leading to compromising efforts in tackling insecurity effectively.

The Conference acknowledges the federal government’s efforts in significantly degrading the Boko Haram insurgency through the use of technology and intelligence, and notes however, that insurgent attacks have continued unabated, especially in the north-east region.

The Conference therefore, calls for decentralization of security by granting state governments greater control over local security forces so as to improve regional responses to insecurity.

It further advocates the urgent need to strengthen our local security architecture through Community Policing, which will no doubt improve intelligence gathering, foster trust between security forces and communities, and ensure a more proactive response to local threats.

The Conference stresses the need for increased funding for Security Agencies, while emphasizing the need to reduce corruption in the procurement process so as to ensure judicious use of available resources.

To address the root causes of banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder conflicts, the government should implement development initiatives targeting rural poverty and job creation.

The Conference opines that tackling insecurity effectively depends largely on political will and the right leaders that will see corruption as evil and confront it frontally.

It therefore charges members of GOCOP to take interest in interrogating the governance process that will ensure that committed and sincere leaders emerge to pilot the affairs of the country.

The Conference realizes that there is a corollary relationship between poverty and insecurity. Hence, it calls for specific economic empowerment programs targeting the youths such as entrepreneurship training, and access to financing for small and medium enterprises, SMEs.

Power Deficit

In Nigeria, electricity supply remains one of the most significant constraints to economic growth despite several power reforms that have been introduced since 1999 by successive governments.

The Conference laments that despite huge resources that have been expended on electricity generation and distribution, Nigeria can only manage to deliver 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts.

It notes that Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption which is around 150 to 200 kWh per year, is too low compared to other African countries and only reflects challenges in electricity access, infrastructure, and supply.

On the way forward in addressing Nigeria’s power deficit, the Conference enjoins conscious efforts aimed at diversifying generation capacity through investment that guarantees expansion of the gas pipeline network, to ensure more stable gas supply to power plants.

The Conference identifies the need to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix by increasing the share of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and small hydropower projects that could provide electricity to areas that are not well-served by the grid.

It observes that the current transmission system is not working hence, calls  for the unbundling of the Transmission Company of Nigeria to allow greater private sector involvement in the transmission network.

The Conference advises the government to encourage more private sector investment in the power sector by creating a more stable and predictable regulatory environment to attract long-term investments.

It notes that this is achievable if the government could stick to agreed contracts, reduce political interference, and ensure a transparent regulatory process.

Transitioning to Digital Economy

The significant gains recorded through liberalization of the telecommunications sector in 2001 notwithstanding, Nigeria still lagging in digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and the adoption of digital technologies in government and business processes.

The Conference notes that transitioning to a Digital Economy remains a major challenge for the country due to inadequate broadband penetration and unreliable internet services.

It observes further that despite the fact that Nigeria boasts a young and dynamic population, digital literacy remains low, limiting the ability of the workforce to participate in the global digital economy.

The Conference agrees that Nigeria’s transition to a digital economy holds immense potential for transforming its economic landscape, creating jobs, and driving inclusive growth.

Therefore, to fast-track this transition, the Conference calls on the government to prioritize infrastructure development, digital literacy, favourable regulations, and indigenous innovation.

It also advises that the government should address challenges such as poor internet access, regulatory uncertainty, and cybersecurity risks, noting that opportunities in fintech, e-commerce, agritech, and digital services present significant growth potential for Nigeria.

The Conference lauds GOCOP for promoting responsible online publishing devoid of fake news, and urges its members to continue to discharge their responsibilities with patriotism.

GOCOP also charges its members to key into the various digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to promote their products or services and engage more with their audiences.

GOCOP thanks the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo, members of the State Executive Council and the good people of the state for providing the necessary facilities that made the hosting of the 8th annual conference of the Guild a huge success.

GOCOP reiterates its commitment to continue to promote ethical and professional journalism, foster collaboration as well as advocate for the interests of online publishers in Nigeria.

Ms. Maureen Chigbo

GOCOP President                                                                

Olumide Iyanda

GOCOP Dep. Gen. Sec

The platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk and previously known as Twitter, made the announcement recently, stating that the closure would take immediate effect, though Brazilian users would still retain access to X.

The decision to withdraw from Brazil was attributed to high tensions with Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who has been working to curb the spread of disinformation online. 

Earlier this year, Moraes ordered X to block certain accounts accused of disseminating false news and hate messages, particularly those associated with supporters of Brazil’s former far-right president. These actions led to prolonged legal issues between the judge and X, with Elon Musk at the centre of the dispute.

In recent developments, X accused Moraes of secretly threatening to arrest one of its legal representatives in Brazil if the company did not comply with orders to remove specific content from the platform. 

The company also published what it claimed to be a document signed by Moraes, detailing a daily fine and the possible arrest of the legal representative should X fail to adhere to the judge’s demands.

X defended its decision to close its operations pointing to the need to protect its staff in Brazil. The company conveyed regret over the situation, noting that the responsibility for the closure rested solely with Judge Moraes. 

Brazil’s Supreme Court has yet to comment on the matter and has not confirmed the authenticity of the document shared by X. 

The platform began processing user data without seeking permission, leading to a fresh wave of privacy complaints across multiple European countries.

The issue came to light when a vigilant user noticed a new setting that revealed X had quietly started using post data from EU users for its Grok AI chatbot. This discovery drew immediate concern from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), the main body responsible for overseeing X’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Irish DPC quickly initiated legal proceedings against X, aiming to halt the processing of unauthorised data. However, privacy advocates, including the non-profit organisation noyb, have condemned the DPC’s response as insufficient. 

Noyb, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, has lodged complaints in nine countries, arguing that X’s actions violate several GDPR provisions. These complaints focus on the lack of transparency and consent in X’s data handling practices.

This situation has brought back the issue of personal data protection in the EU. Under the GDPR, companies are required to have a valid legal basis for processing personal data, typically through user consent. However, X has attempted to justify its actions under the “legitimate interest” clause — a defence that has already been dismissed by the European Court of Justice in similar cases involving other tech giants.

Despite this, X continued its data processing until early August 2024, without adequately informing users or offering them a chance to opt out. A setting allowing users to block data processing was only added in late July, long after the data had been ingested into the AI system.

Max Schrems and other privacy advocates are calling for more strict enforcement of GDPR regulations, noting that companies must obtain consent before using personal data for AI training or any other purposes. They argue that the current situation brings out the need for stronger oversight to prevent companies from bypassing user rights.

While the company has yet to make an official announcement, recent findings reveal that this feature may resemble a “dislike” button rather than a traditional Reddit-style downvote icon.

References found within the X iOS app show the presence of a new button appearing as a broken heart icon, positioned next to the existing heart-shaped “like” button.

These findings, uncovered by reverse engineer Aaron Perris (@aaronp613), reveal direct mentions of a “downvote” feature within the app’s code.

X’s experimentation with downvoting isn’t entirely new. The platform initially tested both upvoting and downvoting buttons in 2021, prior to Musk’s acquisition.

However, these early tests applied the voting system across all posts. The latest developments suggest that X is now considering limiting the downvote option to replies only.

This approach aims to elevate more valuable replies to the top of lengthy threads while pushing less-liked responses further down. This could potentially curb users from posting inflammatory content designed to provoke reactions and generate dislikes for engagement.

In screenshots shared by Perris, the app contains newly added references to the downvoting function, including prompts asking users to confirm their downvote with phrases like “Do you want to downvote this post?” and “Downvote this post.”

The specific mention of “posts” rather than solely “replies” leaves room for speculation about whether X might extend the downvote feature to all posts on the platform.

Another user, @P4mui, provided video evidence of the dislike button in action. They showed that the button was currently available only on replies, though they were uncertain if this restriction would remain permanent.

Additionally, the dislike button was reportedly seen on an X employee’s account in a video showcasing a new method for expanding replies, although the post was quickly deleted and reposted without the dislike button.

Given the increasing sightings and tests, it seems likely that X is preparing for wider public testing of the dislike button. This is part of a series of changes X has implemented under Musk’s leadership.

Recently, the platform began hiding likes from public view, which Musk claimed would allow users to engage with more controversial content without damaging their image.

Although the logo and branding were changed to an “X”, the domain name remained Twitter.com until recently. Now, all core systems have migrated over to X.com. 

The move to X.com wasn’t a sudden one-day event. Over the past year, X.com’s core systems have been gradually migrated from the Twitter infrastructure. 

This involved rigorous testing and seamless integration to ensure a smooth user experience for the platform’s millions of global users.

While Twitter’s iconic blue bird logo takes flight for the history books, the “X”, according to Musk, embodies innovation, transformation, and the boundless potential of the digital age. 

Users have already begun incorporating the new logo into their profiles and tweets. The revamped platform comes with a suite of features including X Moments, a curated feed showcasing trending tweets, news, and viral content, X Spaces, a live audio conversation where users can host discussions, interviews, and debates, X Communities, where niche interest groups enhance connection and passion-sharing and X Pay, a built-in payment system for convenient in-platform transactions.

X.com takes user privacy and security seriously. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is now mandatory for all accounts. Additionally, X.com’s algorithms have been sharpened to combat harmful content, misinformation, and cyberbullying.

The transition has garnered mixed reactions. While some users embrace the fresh look and features, others feel a pang of nostalgia for the classic Twitter. 

Playful memes comparing the transition to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly have been on social media.

Musk has plans for X.com, seeing it as a canvas for human expression, collaboration, and positive impact.