Operation Bluebird, a startup based in Virginia, has filed a petition with the US Patent and Trademark Office to cancel X Corporation’s trademarks for "Twitter" and "tweet." The petition argues that X Corp. has abandoned these brands, no longer using them in its products or marketing. The group's claim highlights that the "TWITTER bird was grounded," suggesting that the rebranding to X has effectively erased the old Twitter identity. If the petition succeeds, Operation Bluebird plans to launch a new social network named Twitter.new, potentially by late 2024. They have already created a working prototype and are inviting users to reserve their handles. The founders, Michael Peroff and Stephen Coates, believe there’s a gap in the market for a platform like the original Twitter. They point out that while alternatives like Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky exist, none have matched Twitter's previous scale or cultural impact. Peroff, a lawyer, emphasizes that the new Twitter could reignite the vibrant interactions that defined the platform, such as celebrity engagement during major events. Coates, who once served as Twitter's general counsel, shares this vision, aiming to recreate the sense of community that Twitter fostered. The move comes on the heels of Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022, which led to the rebranding to X, creating what they see as an opportunity for revival.