[Amy Miller]
Facebook Inc. is suing Phoenix Media/Communications Group Inc., owner of The Boston Phoenix, claiming its infringing two patents that manage online information.
Facebook alleges that the Boston media company, its Tele-Publishing Inc./People2People Group, and WFNX are using features such as guides for bands and restaurants on the newspaper’s website and an online music player at the radio station that infringe its patents.
The federal suit was filed Monday in Boston and is in response to a patent-infringement suit that Phoenix Media/Communications Group filed against Facebook last year.
“The judge required that we file a separate action,” said Facebook spokesperson Andrew Noyes. “This suit is that action and we will fight their claim while pursuing our own.”
Phoenix claims in that suit that Facebook violated a patent issued to Tele-Publishing that provides multimedia personal and dating services to newspapers and broadcasters nationwide.
Attorneys from Cooley filed the suit on Monday for Facebook, and are representing the social media site in the initial suit. Attorneys for Phoenix had not yet responded to the complaint in court. But attorneys from Nutter McClennen & Fish in Boston are representing Phoenix in the initial suit.
Personal ads, dating services, band listings and restaurant guides have been PATENTED?!?
Every new communications medium in the history of mankind has been applied to these things. The patent office thinks it deserves a government-sponsored monopoly just because a computer is involved?
... and in the midst of a severe recession society is wasting it's resources on THIS???
Ick. The patent office, judges, and layers are all nuts. Contempt of court, your honor? Yes ... I have nothing but contempt for the courts.
Posted by: Renee Marie Jones | November 15, 2010 at 03:43 PM