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Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

techcrunch.com

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Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#33

Post by jdp23 »

ErrantX wrote: post #9

Reading the actual patent ( http://www.google.com/patents?id=e-ULAAAAEBAJ&printsec=a... ), seems dubious (well, it's dubious full stop..) My brief reading of it seems to me that the patent is quite specific about categorising celebs into their "fields", it also talks about biographical details as a key part. I think they are trying to force their patent to fit Twitters model, and it doesn't really fit.

When I saw the headline my first thought was "more TechCrunch hyperbole." But it's true. The patent's title really is "Method and system for creating an interactive virtual community of famous people”.

Anyhow, that's how I read it too: all the independent claims seem to start with (a) selecting a field of endeavor and (b) compiling a list before doing stuff creating the community, which is not how Twitter works. If that's all there is, Twitter should ask the judge to sanction VS' lawyers for bringing a frivolous claim.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#34

Post by snorkel »

macov wrote: post #25

The problem with the patent system is that you can patent things that do not exist. Is it ridiculous?

Agreed. A more sane patent system would require a working demonstration, and further require that the demonstration must be performed each time the patent holder claims infringement. Any idea that can not be readily demonstrated in a practical sense should not be patentable.

No demo, no patent.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#35

Post by kljensen »

noonespecial wrote: post #15

Of course it's ridiculous. They are hoping that twitter just pays them to go away. If it loks like twitter has a backbone and it's going to actual court, they can just drop the case. Why not? It's free to try.

It costs quite a bit, even to deal with trivial cases. Six figures at a minimum for show up at the courthouse, mostly in attorney's fees.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#36

Post by kj12345 »

vaksel wrote: post #14

I think the main problem with patents like this is that there is no accountability. If the person who granted such a ridiculous patent was fired for negligence, maybe it'd motivate them to be a little more strict

Or maybe give the judge the option of ruling that the patent holder is abusing the patent system, the penalty for which would be releasing their patent portfolio into the public domain.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#37

Post by meterplech »

kljensen wrote: post #35
noonespecial wrote: post #15

Of course it's ridiculous. They are hoping that twitter just pays them to go away. If it loks like twitter has a backbone and it's going to actual court, they can just drop the case. Why not? It's free to try.

It costs quite a bit, even to deal with trivial cases. Six figures at a minimum for show up at the courthouse, mostly in attorney's fees.

Not if you get a lawyer to take your case for a % of the eventual settlement/suit. Which I think is a relatively common practice. Not sure how it works and I am not an expert, but I imagine a lot of enterprising lawyers would be willing to take that deal. Twitter will likely settle to end it, and they can take a good percentage.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#38

Post by ohashi »

kj12345 wrote: post #36
vaksel wrote: post #14

I think the main problem with patents like this is that there is no accountability. If the person who granted such a ridiculous patent was fired for negligence, maybe it'd motivate them to be a little more strict

Or maybe give the judge the option of ruling that the patent holder is abusing the patent system, the penalty for which would be releasing their patent portfolio into the public domain.

I approve of this idea. It would need a good way to hunt down real owners behind shell companies and such though to make sure they aren't just cheating.

Re: Twitter Gets Sued For Letting Famous People Interact Online

#39

Post by robinwauters »

jdp23 wrote: post #33
ErrantX wrote: post #9

Reading the actual patent ( http://www.google.com/patents?id=e-ULAAAAEBAJ&printsec=a... ), seems dubious (well, it's dubious full stop..) My brief reading of it seems to me that the patent is quite specific about categorising celebs into their "fields", it also talks about biographical details as a key part. I think they are trying to force their patent to fit Twitters model, and it doesn't really fit.

When I saw the headline my first thought was "more TechCrunch hyperbole." But it's true. The patent's title really is "Method and system for creating an interactive virtual community of famous people”. Anyhow, that's how I read it too: all the independent claims seem to start with (a) selecting a field of endeavor and (b) compiling a list before doing stuff creating the community, which is not how Twitter works. If t…

When I saw this comment my first thought was "more TechCrunch bashing". But it's not. Rare these days :)
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