Running a Social Network? BEWARE......
Does your firm perhaps use a computer system to collect descriptive data about people that allows those people to indicate other people with whom they have a personal relationship?
Perhaps you even use that descriptive and relationship data to reveal the series of social relationships connecting any two individuals within a social network?
Bizarre though it may seem, you may be breaking the law! Unbelievable? Well, hold onto your hat .... (?!?!)
You may be infringing the patent of a corporation called Friendster Incorporated, who filed a patent in 2003 for a:
"System, method and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks."
The patent document may be viewed here .
It's difficult to imagine anyone engaging in the emerging discipline of social network analysis or management without using a computer in some way that may be construed as being at least similar to what's described in the patent. It's also completely hilarious to imagine anyone actually claiming to have "invented" social networks, but there you are.
Something juicy for IP lawyers to sink their teeth into, no doubt, should Friendster ever try to enforce their patent outside of their immediate area of business!
Thanks to Stan Wasserman for highlighting this. Stan also provides a link to a related article in Red Herring.
Comments, as always, are most welcome and may be posted below.