Facebook Sues Faceporn, Says It Tarnishes Brand

SAN JOSE, Calif. — It's a face off for a small online adult operator against giant online social media company Facebook.

Thomas Pedersen, of Bergen, Norway, has been sued by Facebook, which claims the Faceporn operator copied the mainstream social network to build an adult one.

Facebook, which recently filed suit against Pedersen at U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., asks the court to order Faceporn to hand over its web domain and all revenue to Facebook.

It claims Pedersen's site promulgates brand tarnishment, dilution or confusion.

Faceporn, until recently, described itself as "the No. 1 socializing porn and sex network," but now the site has been down since last week and, according to its home page, it soon will be relaunched. The home page features a glimpse of its new logo, which incorporates a face in the "F."

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Faceporn is down until further notice," the site says. "We are doing our best to come back better than ever. We're currently working to launch a completely new version of the site, and it will be the best porn site the world has ever seen."

Facebook has filed another suit at federal court to prevent a social-networking site from using elements that it considers to be Facebook's property, including the words "book" and "face."

TeachBook was sued in August by Facebook, which claimed that its use of the word "book" violated Facebook's trademark.

Faceporn "blatantly copied the Facebook logo, site and Wall trademark."

Screen shots filed with the lawsuit show some Facebook-like elements, including Wall postings and a similar blue-and-white color scheme, according to screen shots filed in the suit.

Instead of poking, Faceporn users can apparently "send a flirt."

Pedersen could not be reached via email over the weekend; Facebook did not immediately respond to XBIZ for comment.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Platform Pulse: Inside the Technology and Trends Powering the Direct-to-fan Economy

For a brief, glittering moment, the fan-platform boom felt like a modern-day gold rush. The premise seemed simple: Open an account, post some tantalizing content and watch the subscriptions roll in. OnlyFans became a household name, "selling feet pics" became a cultural punchline and creators poured into the market hoping to claim their share of the action.

FSC Sets Dates, Qualifiers for December Board of Directors Election

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published dates and qualifiers for its upcoming board of directors election.

Aylo Wins Preliminary Injunction Against Utah AV Law's VPN Rule

A federal court on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state of Utah from enforcing a legal provision that would make adult websites liable if minors in the state circumvent geolocation efforts in order to bypass age verification.

Ofcom Investigates Pornhub's Device-Based UK Age Checks

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation to determine whether Pornhub parent company Aylo’s use of device-based age verification complies with the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.

'Studio Vanniall' Launches Through PAYSITE

Vanniall's official website StudioVanniall.com has launched through PAYSITE.

France Weighs Ban on Purchase of 'Remote' Sexual Services

The French National Assembly is considering a proposal to criminalize the purchase, and/or facilitation by online platforms, of sexual services performed remotely by streamers and custom content creators.

YourVids Launches Customizable Subscription Feature for Creators

YourVids has rolled out YourFans, a service that allows creators to design customizable subscription tiers, from which they receive 100% of the revenue.

Jennifer White Launches Official Site, Debuts 1st Release

Reigning XMAs Female Performer of the Year Jennifer White has launched her new website, JenniferWhite.com, and announced the upcoming release of the first feature-length title from her new production company.

Adult Game Fest Announces Nominees for Inaugural Awards Show

Organizers of the inaugural Adult Game Fest virtual trade show have announced the nominees for their inaugural awards ceremony, taking place Saturday, Sept. 26, at 5 p.m. (PDT).

Byborg Enterprises Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Byborg Enterprises has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Show More