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META Motorcycle Magazine Reserves Rights to Facebook’s New Handle for Instagram

Mark Zuckerberg announcing the rebranding of Facebook to Meta

Facebook has been rebranding to Meta, but a motorcycle magazine has beat Facebook to the new handle on Instagram. 

Let’s talk about it.

Facebook employees unveil a new logo and the name "Meta" on the sign in front of Facebook headquarters on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 in Menlo Park, California. A new name and logo were unveiled at Facebook headquarters after a much anticipated name change for the social media platform. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/TNS)

According to The Star, Mark Zuckerberg announced last week (on October 28) that the Facebook brand would be reintegrating all their social media platforms – Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, and others – under “Meta,” with the change taking effect over the next weeks. 

“Our hope is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach a billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers,” Zuckerberg said to the Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service. 

Naturally, with the new change in name, Zuckerberg’s company now has to stake claims on the “Meta” handle for their social media branches – only they can’t…at least, not for Instagram. 

A view of the META Motorcycle Magazine cover

META, Denver’s motorcycle-based magazine, has been around a wee bit longer – seven years, in fact, or “Since 2014”, as they were seen to comment in an Instagram post after Facebook announced its rebranding.

A view of the META Motorcycle Magazine cover

With the ‘Meta’ handle taken, Facebook has chosen to use the handle @WeAreMeta, though many speculate that the twist in Zuckerberg’s plans could eventually lead to his company staking a claim on the ‘Meta’ title – a decision that could mean a massive payout for META. 

A view of the META Motorcycle Magazine Title and sign

Boasting over 72,000 followers on Instagram (likely more after the chaos of the weekend), Denver’s META motorcycle magazine is well-loved, with followers tickled pink that the magazine has kept its original handle (so far).

“The only Meta I can get behind,” one Instagram user says.

“The one and only Meta,” another user agrees.

Stay tuned for updates on this story, and make sure to also head over to our news archives, where we have all manner of tidbits for you to enjoy.