The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently granted Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) a patent for an invention entitled “Systems and methods for automatically locating web-based social network members”. As the title and the corresponding claims of the issued patent would suggest, this patent provides Facebook with a monopoly over systems and methods for automatically locating web-based social network members are provided. In one embodiment, of the invention, contact content including an associated GPS identifier and status for web-based social network members located at or near the same location automatically appears on a GPS-enabled device.
Overall, there has yet to be any backlash with respect to this most recent Facebook patent; but anti-competitive proponents as well as privacy advocates may soon enter the fray.
For additional information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/issued-facebook-patent
http://tinyurl.com/facebook-patent-article
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