A short while ago, Facebook announced personalised URLs. For most individual users, this is probably little other than an additional feature. However, for companies, brands, products, services and public figures, it could have important intellectual property implications. If such entities / celebrities have active Facebook accounts, it would make sense for them to reserve unique usernames associated with their Profile Pages whether or not Facebook figures prominently in their business plans. If reserved, the selected username would appear as follows: facebook.com/username with the username replacing a randomly assigned numerical reference.

Eligibility:
Businesses or brands must have been live on Facebook before May 31, 2009 and have had at least 1,000 fans at that time to be eligible to select a username. Facebook has said that new users can reserve a username on June 28, 2009 but it is unclear if this also applies to Profile Pages for businessses.
 
Implications for trade mark owners:
If possible, it makes sense to secure a username as soon as possible so as to secure the trade mark and to prevent name/cyber squatting. The usernames cannot be changed once they are submitted at: http://www.facebook.com/username. Further, usernames cannot be assigned.
 
Prevention of unauthorised use:
The owners of registered trade marks can prevent their trade marks from being reserved as usernames by filling out (or authorising another person to fill out) an online form located at: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=username_rights. However, this is unlikely to help those who do not have registered trade marks.
 
Infringement Allegations:
In case some reserves a trade mark owner’s mark as a username, the owner can report this to Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/copyright.php?noncopyright_notice=1 although it is unclear how Facebook plans to resolve disputes. Although Facebook has reserved the right to remove usernames, it is also not clear whether removed usernames will become available for others (in this case, the trade mark owner) to use or if they will simply pass out of circulation. If the latter is the case, the trade mark will not be available to the owner which makes it important to secure it as soon as possible.