Twitter.now Launches as Startup Attempts to Bring Back the Twitter Name

The Twitter name is making a comeback, but not under Elon Musk’s X. A Virginia-based startup called Operation Bluebird has launched a new social media platform named Twitter.now, claiming that X Corporation abandoned its rights to the Twitter name and branding.

The new platform went live this week after months of waiting. Stephen Coates, one of Operation Bluebird’s cofounders and its general counsel, said the company decided to move forward instead of waiting for the court to make a final decision.

Twitter.now Launches as Startup Attempts to Bring Back the Twitter Name

Operation Bluebird was created around the idea that Elon Musk’s decision to rename Twitter as X in 2022 may have left the original Twitter trademarks unused.

The startup argues that X Corporation abandoned important intellectual property connected to the Twitter brand. Based on that argument, Operation Bluebird began working on its own version of Twitter.

X Corporation did not agree with the move. The company sued Operation Bluebird last year and asked a federal court to stop the startup from launching its service.

The legal dispute is still ongoing. A Delaware federal judge gave a tentative ruling during a hearing in April 2026 suggesting that X may have given up certain intellectual property claims involving the “tweet” name and the Twitter bird logo. The judge also raised questions about the Twitter trademark.

However, a formal written ruling has not yet been issued.

Despite that, Operation Bluebird decided to launch Twitter.now. Coates said the company believes X has abandoned its rights to the Twitter and tweet trademarks.

Twitter.now Looks Familiar

Twitter.now is still a small platform, with only hundreds of users so far. Its design is also familiar to anyone who used Twitter before the rebrand.

The service includes features such as replies and retweets. The goal appears to be to recreate the basic experience of the original Twitter while adding some new features.

Operation Bluebird is also making it clear that Twitter.now is not connected to Musk’s X.

The company says it is rebuilding the Twitter identity independently and has no affiliation with X Corporation.

Built-In Fact-Checking

One of the biggest differences between Twitter.now and the old Twitter is its approach to fact-checking.

The new platform uses an automated system called Vera. The tool is powered by Google’s Gemini technology and is designed to analyze posts in real time.

Coates has been testing the system by publishing deliberately false statements. This is intended to see how effectively Vera can identify inaccurate information.

The startup says it wants to create a social network where people can express their views without allowing misleading or harmful content to dominate the platform.

Coates described the goal as supporting freedom of speech while avoiding what he called “freedom of reach.” In other words, users can post their opinions, but the platform does not necessarily have to amplify content simply because it attracts attention.

Legal Battle Is Far From Over

The launch of Twitter.now could increase the pressure on both sides of the trademark dispute.

Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben told Ars that Operation Bluebird has a possible legal argument that X abandoned the Twitter trademark. However, he said the case is far from certain.

The situation could become more complicated now that Twitter.now has officially launched. X Corporation could take additional legal action to challenge the new platform.

For now, Twitter.now is live while the legal dispute continues. Whether the startup can keep using the Twitter name will ultimately depend on the court and the outcome of the ongoing trademark battle.