Can you get a simple gesture of your hand patented?
In a sudden turn of events, Facebook, which created waves in the Internet world by introducing ‘Like’ feature is going to face a legal trial as Rembrandt Social Media, the company which owns the patent for ‘Like’ button has decided to sue the Menlo park, California based social network for using the patents without their permission.
In 1998, a Dutch programmer Joannes Jozef Everardus van Der Meer patented the ‘Like’ button feature, which was five years prior to the Facebook’s launch. The patents were given on the basis of a functionality of Surfbook, a social diary created by Van der meer.
Rembrandt Social Media filed a lawsuit in Virginia, Feb 5. Ironically, 4th Feb was Facebook’s 9th birthday. AddThis, along with Facebook is also in line to face the wrath.
Courtesy BBC
Image Courtesy: Mashable
