Karl Auerbach on Nostr: People far too often forget that trademarks are a consumer protection device, so that ...

People far too often forget that trademarks are a consumer protection device, so that consumers can make informed choices regarding the source and identity of goods and services.

Trademarks exist not to benefit vendors (although they do, as a side effect) but to protect consumers. (This is an area where ICANN went completely off the rails with regard to domain names.)

So it is entirely in our right as buyers and consumers to not refer to a thing by its trademark. The only constraint is that we can't enter commerce and try to use someone else's trademark on our own offerings.