Facebook recently unveiled a new mobile feature, “Find Friends Nearby.” Mobile app Friendthem believes that the social network stole its idea and is now planning to file a lawsuit against Facebook.
Friendthem is a mobile app for Android and iOS that allows users to find Facebook users who are nearby.
The website writes:
“Friendthem is a location-based mobile app designed to help you make connections with people near you. Use the Friendthem app to follow up on missed connections for work and personal.”
Freindthem CEO Charles Sankowich believes that Facebook “blatantly” stole his company’s idea.
Sankovich told the Huffington Post :
“I was amazed on Sunday to read that Facebook is blatantly stealing our idea with what they are calling, ‘Find Friends Nearby.’ Facebook engineer Ryan Patterson claims the feature was born at a hackathon as “Friendshake,” but we believe they simply stole trademarked materials of Friendthem.com. More than two years ago we trademarked “Friendthem” and have had tremendous success and exposure with this concept.”
“Friendthem is something special and we could be one of the most important apps for Facebook in a long time… When the world understands how important our message is, Friendthem could be one of the most important apps out there, so I don’t know why they’re going around us to do this.”
Facebook claims that the “Find Friends Nearby” was developed without any knowledge of Sankowich of his Friendthem app, but Sankowich isn’t buying it.
Sankowich said:
“They have to know about Friendthem unless they’ve had their heads in the sand. We’re relevant, we’re necessary and we’re fun.”
Friendthem is currently making sure that they have a case and plan to file a lawsuit against the social networking giant soon.
Les Apple, an attorney for Friendthem, said:
“We will proceed with a lawsuit as soon as we confirm the information we have, but we don’t want to do things irresponsibly.”
Do you think “Find Friends Nearby” is a little too similar to Friendthem?
