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news/rust-trademark-policy-updates.md

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+---
+title: Rust Trademark Policy Updates
+byline: Rust Foundation Team
+description: >-
+  Announcing the allocation of a recent $1M donation from Platinum Member
+  Microsoft to support Rust Foundation and Rust Project priorities . 
+date: 2024-11-06T12:00:00Z
+tags:
+  - announcement
+  - foundation
+index: false
+layout: layouts/news.njk
+---
+We are pleased to announce that the Rust trademark policy has been updated. Since our open trademark policy draft consultation period in 2023, we have incorporated a number of suggestions from the Rust community into the policy.
+
+In light of the comments we received from the community about the trademark policy draft, we wanted to take a moment to share some insights into the process of updating the policy in recent months, summarize the feedback received, emphasize a few key points, and invite you to share any blocking concerns about the newest version via [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU1Ocopa0v9UZn_ZSTkKQM7gqZIrt63lCFz-xtogcFHMtkAg/viewform?usp=sf_link).
+
+## <u>Feedback Report</u>
+
+We received a large number of responses through the Rust Trademark Policy draft feedback form last year. Here is a breakdown of the most common concerns we saw:
+
+1\. Consequences of unintentional misuse.
+
+2\. Confusing language/ use of legal jargon – especially in the “Plain English” summary section.
+
+3\. Limits of the policy as previously drafted (for example, we received many concerned comments about using the word “Rust” in blogs, social media posts, and talks).
+
+4\. Logo modification rules.
+
+5\. “Proactive statement of non-endorsement” (for example: disclosing whether or not educational materials have been produced in affiliation with the Rust Project or Foundation)
+
+6\. Restrictions on using “Rust” and “Cargo” in package names.
+
+7\. Restrictions on use of the marks on merchandise.
+
+We have taken these and other concerns under advisement and have modified the policy in collaboration with members of the Rust Project Leadership Council, Project Directors, and legal counsel to address them.
+
+## **<u>To address the specific points above simply:</u>**
+
+1\. We primarily plan to lean on community reports for enforcement and have no intention of spending our limited resources policing the work of small creators.
+
+2\. We have removed the non-legal language summary and instead have clarified wording throughout as best we can while keeping the policy valid.
+
+3\. The Rust trademark does not cover use of the word “Rust” in general and instead pertains to its use in relevant technical settings.
+
+4\. We have updated the logo usage policy. Color modifications are allowed.
+
+5\. The non-endorsement rule is about managing *perception* of official affiliation with the Foundation and Rust Project, and is thus subjective.
+
+6\. We removed restrictions on the use of “Rust” and “Cargo” in package names. The crates prefixes "rust-" and "cargo-" are no longer reserved to the Rust Project.
+
+7\. We will usually allow the community to use the marks on limited merchandise (more details in the updated draft).
+
+This list of changes and clarifications is far from comprehensive. Please refer to the updated draft in [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU1Ocopa0v9UZn_ZSTkKQM7gqZIrt63lCFz-xtogcFHMtkAg/viewform) for all changes made since we released the initial draft in 2023.
+
+## **<u>Timeline</u>**
+
+We recognize that because many months have passed since our last blog post on this subject, it might have appeared that no action has been taken to address public feedback. Because the initial Rust trademark policy draft sparked a great deal of feedback, it was essential for us to take time and care to make the appropriate changes.
+
+Since then, we have consulted with our legal counsel and different groups within the Rust Project community. When we released the initial policy draft in 2023, the Leadership Council was not in place. It has been very helpful to consult with elected representatives of the diverse interests and perspectives of the Rust Project.
+
+In recent months, we have been consulting with the Rust Project representatives: the Leadership Council, our Project Directors, and other members of the Project who receive emails through [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). This mailing list is one of our main tools to reach the Rust Project. We appreciate the active participation of all the groups we consulted as well as the feedback shared by the wider community through our form.
+
+The Rust Foundation is committed to ensuring that the updated policy reflects the community’s values while providing guidance that helps foster an environment of collaboration and creativity. We appreciate your patience as we have worked diligently to craft a policy that addresses the valid critiques raised about the draft and our approach to disseminating it in the past.
+
+&nbsp;
+
+## **<u>Below are a few important points to note about the most recent draft of the Rust Trademark Policy:</u>**
+
+&nbsp;
+
+## **<u>Rust Foundation Logo</u>**
+
+Many people raised a valid concern about the Rust Foundation’s former primary logo when we shared the drafted trademark policy last year.
+
+Some people expressed that the logo could lead to confusion about the distinction between the Rust language itself and the Rust Foundation. Although the Foundation is the steward of the Rust language and community, we agree with this point and have, in fact, been slowly shifting to the use of a new logo over the past few years for this reason, even prior to sharing the drafted trademark policy for input.
+
+We will still use the old logo in limited instances (primarily, where spacing requires a horizontal display) but over time, you will see our new logo used almost exclusively. A new Rust Foundation website is coming soon and you will see our updated logo used prominently across it.
+
+## **<u>Enforcement</u>**
+
+We understand that some community members are worried about the potential for misuse in the use of the Rust and Cargo trademarks and what this might mean for them. We want to emphasize that our intention with the new policy is not to restrict creativity or innovation but to create a framework that protects the integrity of the Rust brand while allowing for diverse use cases.
+
+The new policy also offers clearer guidelines, enabling you to engage with the Rust brand whether you're developing a new project, hosting an event, or creating Ferris plushies. Our community members should be able to leverage the Rust name while ensuring that the Rust name remains trustworthy. The Rust Foundation considers the maintenance of Rust’s integrity to be shared work, and we therefore encourage you to email us at [email protected] with any trademark usage concerns you become aware of.
+
+## **<u>Commitment to Clarity</u>**
+
+Transparency is a core value of the Rust community, and we are dedicated to upholding that standard. We recognize that the previous policy draft lacked clarity, and we feel that the new policy has corrected this issue.
+
+Our goal is to ensure that the policy not only meets our collective requirements but also reflects the input and concerns from our community in a way that’s easy to understand and abide by.
+
+## **<u>Purpose of the Policy</u>**
+
+The new Rust Trademark Policy was designed to maintain the integrity of Rust, foster deeper trust within the tech industry and open source ecosystem, help our community navigate trademark usage, and enable innovation. With clear guidelines around the use of the Rust marks, we can ensure that the language continues to grow and thrive.
+
+Although not everyone will agree with the notion of trademarks in general, we hope that the updates made to this policy (in collaboration with members of the Rust Project) have resulted in a more reasonable and useful policy.
+
+In short, the central purpose of these updates is to empower all Rustaceans to engage with the Rust language ecosystem more confidently.
+
+## **<u>Next Steps</u>**
+
+As a final step in this process, we invite you to review the updated policy and share any blocking concerns you might have via [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU1Ocopa0v9UZn_ZSTkKQM7gqZIrt63lCFz-xtogcFHMtkAg/viewform?usp=sf_link). We will review any comments received through this form until 11:59pm PST November 20, 2024 and post the updated policy to the website after any changes have been made.
+
+Thank you to everyone who weighed in with helpful suggestions on the initial trademark policy draft we shared. The level of engagement and passion within the Rust community is inspiring to all of us at the Rust Foundation.