Patent on social networking granted - to Friendster

Posted Jul 7th 2006 1:00PM by David Chartier
Filed under: social networking, social software, social news

"Friend-what?" you might be asking, but it's true: Red Herring is reporting that Friendster, the ill-fated social networking that (I think) started it all, has been granted a patent on social networks. Following a great tradition of painstakingly clear patent language, Friendster owns the patent for a "system, method, and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks".

Whether Friendster will use the time-tested 'if you can't beat 'em, take em to court' strategy is yet to be seen, but to their credit: they apparently applied for the patent (issued June 27 of 2006) way back in the day, before they fell from their perch.

[via Slashdot]

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. hmm.. interesting read

Posted at 8:57AM on Aug 18th 2006 by DesiMartini Indian Dating & Networking

2. Well sounds like that Patent will make this company alot of money and I bet they can start seeing royalty checks coming from MySpace real soon and other social network providers.

Posted at 9:28AM on Aug 28th 2006 by kary

3. That's quite interesting. Let's see how they can use their patent to make money out of it. I can't believe that they can weaken MySpace with it. But I'm curious about it.

Posted at 5:18AM on Aug 31st 2006 by Michael Mueller

4. I think they wouldn't miss the chance to make money out o their patent.

Posted at 6:35AM on Sep 4th 2006 by Mag

5. find your dream patner

Posted at 8:49AM on Sep 5th 2006 by milliongrooms

6. my site has more fetures then friendster check it out if u want too its www.chumpspace.com
friendter is the biggest site i think tho

Posted at 7:00AM on Oct 5th 2006 by gary

7. Social networking is good to get someone more outgoing, but this might help too with someone plagued by passivity:

http://assertivenesssucceeds.blogspot.com

Posted at 5:19PM on Nov 14th 2006 by txdave22

8. Very interesting, and I did not even know that the need for social networking patent

Posted at 3:10AM on Nov 24th 2007 by rene

9. Sorry forgot to add dvd films

Posted at 3:14AM on Nov 24th 2007 by http:dionpills.org

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