Yesterday, word came out that Facebook had been granted a patent that essentially made them out to be the inventors of “Systems and methods for automatically locating web-based social network members”. This could obviously have a big effect on businesses like Foursquare and Gowalla and SCVNGR who are operating just such businesses.
This morning, Business Insider reports that actually Google already HAS a patent on pretty much the same thing with the head of Foursquare listed as the inventor.
Facebook Places is a huge priority for the company right now, Zuckerberg mentioned it prominently in his speech again yesterday. And the whole industry is kind of blowing up right now as companies try to wed cyberspace to meatspace.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
