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Facebook Locks Down Social Gift Giving Patent

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the no-presents-for-you dept.

bizwriter writes "Facebook has been on a roll of late, nailing a number of patent grants that will help it retain dominance in social networking by creating barriers for competitors. Yesterday came patent number 7,970,657, 'Giving gifts and displaying assets in a social network environment'. Although it doesn't directly prevent other social networks from enabling gift giving among users, a clever legal and technical maneuver makes it far more difficult."

2 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    What's the point of patenting things anymore if the "design", "process" or "technology" is so trivial as this? I may as well go ahead with my patent for "any method of expulsion of bodily fluids" - as dumb as the USPTO is, they'll probably grant it. Prior art be damned.

  2. gifting online then and now by alphatel · · Score: 5, Funny
    Playing social games, 1989
    • gift troll bread
    • You gifted a bread to a large troll.
    • The troll smiles and lets you pass the bridge

    New ending! 2011

    • Mark Zuckerberg booms: Though shall not gift!
    • The troll, angry at your attempted patent theft, slays you
    --
    When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.