What happens if a trademark is found to be generic?

When a trademark is found to be generic, it loses its trademark protection. A generic term is one that refers to a class of products or services rather than indicating the source of a specific product or service. For example, terms like "computer" for computers or "shoe" for footwear cannot be owned by a single entity because they are common language used to describe the product as a whole.

Once a trademark is deemed generic, it can no longer function as an identifier of the source of goods or services, which is the fundamental purpose of trademark protection. This means that the owner of the trademark can no longer enforce exclusive rights to use that term in commerce, allowing others to freely use it without infringing on trademark rights. This loss of protection is significant since it can lead to the term becoming even more widely used generically, further solidifying its status and preventing any individual from claiming exclusivity.