Hot on the heels of Facebook patenting the social news feed, Google-owned Mechanical Zoo, the company behind Aardvark, has filed a patent application which would see it owning the practice of using social status messages for word of mouth marketing.
In the application, the company details how it wants to own the practice of using social networks to invite people to sign up for a web service, in this case, Aardvark.
Images submitted with the application (below) show a version of the Aardvark sign up screen complete with a ‘Tell your friends about Aardvark’ section which allows a message linking to a user’s Aardvark account that can be optionally sent to Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Google Talk.
This practice is nothing new; Aardvark isn’t the first to implement this type of marketing. We’re not lawyers but we think they might struggle to secure the patent. That said, if Facebook can own the news feed, something that is pretty much universal in social web services these days, anything can happen.
If granted, the patent wouldn’t be likely to affect services like Foursquare that use social media to share users’ activities such as check-ins – this is solely related to sending a message when a user first signs up to a service. Pictures below.
[via GoRumors]
These patent applications are not going to keep social networking web 2.0 websites like google and facebook as inexpensively free as they are today. I think that there needs to be legislation to make the social media website contact sharing and invitations a matter of public information and under the public domain and not to be appointed proprietary rights to any given company who could use such a patent to corner the market.
At the same time,Google may consider the viability of attempting to patent – FREEDOM TO SPEAK…
yep +1
These screenshots of theirs are absurd.
Doesn't seem right…what next?
да не будет никогда такого!
http://snipr.com/v09mv
We need your support and trust!!!
———————
Show your style and charm,The popular is what you want, right?
girl , Juniors , Accessories , Style Expert: http://snipr.com/v09mv
We’re always mindful of fashion that’s in it for the long haul – those pieces you grab and go without fail every time, that, like a good friend, just couldn’t be more reliable.
Though a trendy handbag is a fun choice for, say, an evening out, an everyday bag that meets your everyday needs is a wardrobe must.
We’re eyeing neutral bags that move from month to month with ease, that suit every possibility with style and that make your life much easier with a host of functional details.
Check them out:http://snipr.com/v09mv
“ Echocardiography action ” FREE sHIPPING!!!(^.^)