What is the most used feature on Facebook? Definitely, the ‘Like’ button. Seems, Facebook has violated patents by using this feature. Rembrandt Social Media, acting on behalf of a deceased Dutch computer programmer who was a pioneer in the development of “user-friendly web-based technologies,” has sued Facebook for using ‘Like’ button without permission.
Dutch programmer Joannes Jozef Everardus van Der Meer built a fledgling social diary before his death in 2004 called Surfbook that let people “share” information with friends and family and approve some data using a “like” button. For this social diary, Mr. Meer applied for patent for “like” and “share” button. His patent application was granted in 1998, five years before Facebook first appeared. Rembrandt now owns the patents used to build Surfbook.
Rembrandt has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Virginia mentioning that Facebook is “aware of the patents” as the company’s own patents cited Meer’s patents. The lawsuit also mentions that Facebook is still using the patents without permission.
When Facebook was asked about the matter it denied to comment on the lawsuit.
Source: BBC
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