Facebook Buys IBM Patents To Build Legal Defenses

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Facebook Buys IBM Patents To Build Legal Defenses

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Facebook acquired 750 patents from IBM, adding intellectual property that may help it counter allegations of patent infringement, Bloomberg reported today citing "a person with knowledge of the transaction".

The patents include technologies related to software and networking.

Facebook is bolstering its legal defenses amid a standoff with rivals that have more intellectual property. Yahoo sued Facebook earlier this month, accusing it of infringing patents covering social networking technology, online advertising, as well as privacy and technology for customizing the information users see on a Web page.

The Yahoo suit involves patents covering Internet advertising, information sharing and privacy. Yahoo asked for an order barring Facebook from infringing the 10 patents. It's seeking triple damages.