By now you’ve heard that Yahoo has sued Facebook, alleging patent infringement. But just which pieces of intellectual property is Yahoo claiming Facebook ripped off?
Surely, you’d say, Yahoo doesn’t claim that it invented the entire
social networking model Facebook is based upon—except it turns out that
is almost exactly what Yahoo is claiming.
“Facebook’s entire social network model, which allows users to create
profiles for and connect with, among other things, persons and
businesses, is based on Yahoo!’s patented social networking technology,”
Yahoo claims in the lawsuit, filed yesterday in US District Court in
Northern California. “Prior to adopting Yahoo!’s patented social
networking technology in 2008, Facebook was considered one of the worst
performing Internet sites for advertising. Facebook’s use of that social
networking model has reportedly dramatically driven up Facebook’s
advertising click through rates.”
Nearly all the technology that makes Facebook successful is based on Yahoo patents, the company further states.
