Trademark Policy

EdX Inc. (“edX”) considers its trademarks to be among its most valuable assets. It is essential that edX prevent unauthorized and inappropriate use of its trademarks in order to ensure that they remain reliable indicators of source and quality.

This policy covers the general rules for using or referring to edX and its trademarks, including without limitation the “edX”, “Open edX”, and “MicroMasters” names, marks and logos (collectively, our “Marks”). Use of each Mark is also subject to the specific trademark guidelines below.

As a general rule, our Marks may not be used in any manner other than (a) as permitted by this policy or (b) as expressly authorized by edX.

We reserve the right to revoke the authorizations granted in this policy at any time in our sole discretion. If we determine that your use of our Marks is in violation of this policy or is otherwise unacceptable or detrimental to any of our Marks, we will revoke the authorization. Upon revocation of the authorization, you must immediately cease all use of our Marks.

Permitted Uses of our Marks

Our “edX" mark and logo are reserved for use in connection with or related to the edx.org website, edX members, and edX courses. You must adhere to the edX® Trademark Guidelines when using the “edX” mark and logo.

Our “Open edX” marks and logos are reserved for use in connection with or related to the Open edX open source software platform, which is available to the world for free under the Affero General Public License, version 3. We appreciate your help spreading the word about the Open edX platform in approved ways. We ask members of the Open edX community who have stood up separate instances of the Open edX platform to include the official “Powered by Open edX” logo in the footer of each page of their instance with the logo linking back to open.edx.org. Please visit the Powered by Open edX logo page for a few variants of this logo and instructions on how to add them to your instance. You must adhere to the Open edX®  Trademark Guidelineswhen using the “Open edX” marks and logos.

Our “MicroMasters” mark and logo are reserved for use in connection with or related to MicroMasters programs and courses on edx.org, which offer a pathway to credit from edX partner universities. You must adhere to the MicroMasters® Trademark Guidelines when using the “MicroMasters” mark and logo.

In addition:

  1. You may use our word marks — but not our logos — on websites that serve as noncommercial informational forums concerning edX, its courses, or its technology.
  2. If you have a product or service that is compatible with, or otherwise works with, the Open edX platform, you may use the “Open edX” word mark or logo in promotional or advertising materials to describe such compatibility, provided:
    • the “Open edX” word mark or logo is only used in a referential phrase such as “runs on,” “for use on,” “for,” or “compatible with”;
    • any use of the “Open edX” word mark or logo on a website includes a link to open.edx.org;
    • any use of the “Open edX” word mark or logo adheres to the Open edX® Trademark Guidelines; and
    • the “Open edX” word mark or logo appears less prominent than your product or service name.
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Rules for Proper Usage of our Marks

The following rules apply to the display of our Marks for permitted uses of the Marks under this policy and under any applicable license from edX:

  1. Set Marks Apart From Surrounding Text and Other Branding. When a Mark is used in non-stylized form, such as in the body text of a website, advertisement, or press release, it should be set apart and distinguished from the other words in the text and other branding. In order to do this, the Mark may be rendered in boldface type, italics, underscored, or set in quotation marks. (Note that this rule does not apply when “edX” is used as a trade name. See below for further detail.)
  2. Use Marks as Adjectives. Trademarks are adjectives and should be followed by the generic term they modify — for example, the “Open edX platform” or a “MicroMasters program”. Except when you use “edX” as trade name, never use a Mark as a noun, a verb, or in the possessive form.
  3. No Alterations; Proper Display.
    • When “edX” is used at the beginning of a sentence, the “e” should be capitalized. You should not otherwise vary the appearance of any Mark by abbreviating it, hyphenating it, incorporating it into acronyms, or changing its spelling or spacing. Here are some examples of improper display: ed-X; OpenEdx; open edX; Micro Masters; MicroMaster’s.
    • When using a Mark that is a logo or graphic design, always use an approved logo rendition and comply with the applicable trademark guidelinesavailable below. Never modify the logo or design, add or delete any words, or change any color or proportion.
  4. Use the Proper Trademark Notice Symbol. Our Marks are registered in a number of countries around the world. Accordingly, for the first and most prominent usage of a Mark, please use ® as a notice to third parties of edX’s rights in its marks. The symbol does not need to be used for other uses of the Mark within the same document, website, or material.
  5. Use the Proper Trademark Attribution Statement. All uses of our Marks must identify the Marks as being trademarks of edX with the proper trademark attribution statement, crediting ownership of the Marks to edX. See the applicable trademark guidelines for the appropriate attribution statement, which should be included in a legible font and size at the bottom of your website or the end of your advertisement or publication, as applicable.

Prohibited Uses of our Marks

The following are examples of unauthorized uses of our Marks:

  1. Use of Marks in Connection with Third Party Marks:
    • You may not use any of our Marks in combination with or as part of company names, trademarks, or logos.
    • You may not use or register, in whole or in part, any of our Marks, as part of your trademark, service mark, company name, trade name, product name, or service name.
    • You may not register a domain name or use a domain name that includes one of our Marks or that is confusingly similar to one of our Marks, except (a) with the express written permission of edX or (b) if you use the “Open edX” mark (not the stand-alone “edX” mark) in a third (or lower) level domain.  Here are some examples:
      • Acceptable: openedx.yourdomain.org
      • Unacceptable: edx.yourdomain.org
      • Unacceptable: openedxyourdomain.org
      • Unacceptable: yourdomain-edx.com
    • Except as expressly permitted above, you may not incorporate any of our Marks into the name or logo of your website, Internet keywords, metatags, or trigger words to lead to a website or other Internet destination, product, business, or service without the express written permission of edX.
  2. Use of Confusingly Similar Marks: You may not use a trademark, a logo or other content that is confusingly similar to one of our Marks.
  3. Endorsement or Sponsorship. Without the express prior written consent of edX, you may not use any of our Marks to imply an affiliation with edX or approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of your company, website, products, or services by edX.
  4. Damaging Use: You may not use one of our Marks or any other edX-owned graphic, symbol or logo in a manner that disparages edX, its products or services, or the Open edX platform or community or damages our brand integrity, including use of any Mark in a manner that is offensive, defamatory, illegal, or unethical.

Please note that the preceding examples are illustrative rather than an exhaustive list of types of unauthorized uses of our Marks.

Rules for Proper Usage of edX as a Trade Name

“EdX” functions not only as a trademark and service mark identifying goods and services offered by edX Inc., but also as a trade name or company name referring to edX Inc. Trade names are nouns and, therefore, should not be followed by a generic descriptor and may be used in the possessive form. When used as a trade name, “edX” should not be followed by a trademark symbol or accompanied by an attribution statement. Within documents, the first reference to the trade or company name should be “edX Inc.”, with “edX” used for all subsequent references. When “edX” is used as a trade name at the beginning of a sentence, the “e" should be capitalized.

Questions and Reporting Misuse of our Marks

If you have any questions about this policy or wish to obtain edX’s permission for any use that is not specifically addressed in this policy, please contact trademarks@edx.org. We will respond as soon as possible. Please note that permission will only be granted under certain conditions and/or subject to your entering into an agreement with edX to maintain the quality of the products and/or services that you offer.

If you become aware of any unauthorized use of our Marks or any use of any marks, logos, icons, or images that are confusingly similar to our Marks, please notify edX by sending an email to trademarks@edx.org.

Thank you for helping us protect our valuable trademark rights and strengthen the integrity of the edX®, Open edX®, and MicroMasters®brands.


Last modified: Thursday, 12 April 2018, 10:37 AM