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Instagram CEO On Allegations That His App Has Copied Snapchat (foxbusiness.com)
It's no secret that Facebook has taken inspiration from Snapchat, an app it couldn't purchase. The flagship features of Snapchat are now available across all of Facebook's owned services. But how do Facebook executives address the accusations that Facebook is copying Snapchat? In a Q&A with WSJ, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said: Stories is definitely similar to Snapchat. I think anyone would say that. The first time you see a product show up somewhere else it feels a lot like copying but imagine a world where the only car was the Ford Model T. I'm really glad there are a lot of car companies producing different cars. Just because they have wheels and windows and AC doesn't mean that you're copying. You've got DreamWorks and Pixar and Disney, they're all doing computer-animated film. That doesn't mean they're copying each other. They're building upon a technology. I would just judge [Stories] based on how many people use it actively, which is over 200 million every day. It clearly provides unique value to people that they're not getting elsewhere.
Difference between cars and these internet tech is obviously that copyright of car designs have already lost their intellectual property protection, since it was invented in 1900's or somewhere, and copyright only lasts 70 years. These internet technologies are completely different ballgame, since all the tech in these products still have patents and copyright protections still ongoing...
Obviously if you company is accused of copying the competitor's products, the best course of action is to deny it -- but can't they figure out better concepts than cars which already lost their protection long ago?
Unfortunately that is how copyright works. If copyright where as it was now, Benz would have been suing the hell out of Ford for copying their car.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
"No!" said Snapchat CEO Kevin Systrom. "Our app has so many features. Just in identification of viewers alone, our databases can target age and income better than anyone else around except Google. We can divide the market up by interest and gender and our product placement.......I mean narrative tools are the best around so you can get your story out. Our analytics are the best"
After an aid came up and whispered in Systrom's ear, he spoke again with a slightly more bashful look. "I mean......take pictures. Lots of them. Our pictures are the best pictures. Try our filters, ok, thanks."
After the conference, the CEO was heard to accidentally whisper on an open mike, "Why am I talking to the proles? Who set up this meeting? I want them fired. They should take full responsibility.....it was me? What? OK, no you're fired."
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."