ByteDance-owned social media app TikTok has recently been found not guilty of trademark infringement against UK-based video editing company Stitch Editing Ltd in relation to its video editing tool, Stitch. The court ruled that the use of the name did not infringe on Stitch Editing's service trademark, despite the plaintiff's repeated claims that the two companies had "identical logos and services."

Stitch Editing Ltd is a video editing company in the UK that has worked on commercials for major brands like Nike, Samsung, and Louis Vuitton, as well as music videos for artists like the Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga. In 2021, the company sued TikTok's Stitch technology, accusing the platform's users of being able to splice other users' videos into their own.

In court, Stitch Editing argued that TikTok's use of "Stitch" as a feature name would lead users to believe that Stitch Editing and TikTok were related companies, and that there was a threat of diluting the brand's significance. Stitch Editing sought $116 million in damages from TikTok.

TikTok, on the other hand, argued that the "Stitch Editing" trademark did not reach the level of "monopolizing the use of the word 'Stitch' globally to refer to the process of combining video editing."

The jury rejected Stitch Editing Ltd's claims, stating that TikTok's use of the name "Stitch" to promote its own social media platform's video splicing technology created confusion among consumers about Stitch Editing Ltd's brand.

A Stitch spokesperson expressed disappointment with the judgment, while TikTok representatives did not comment on the case.