Facebook, a widely used social networking website site started for high school and college students, is being sued by a rival website ConnectU for allegedly stealing the site’s idea and source codes for its set up.
Founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg went to Harvard with the three of the founders of ConnectU, a similar social networking site. They are accusing him of stealing the computer code that he agreed to create for their use. They say he used the code to create his own site, Facebook.
This suit, if won by ConnectU, could mean the removal of Facebook from the Internet completely. The removal of the site would affect 31 million users who are currently on Facebook. Most of the people who use this site are college students, and people trying to reconnect with past friends.
“There are so many users of Facebook as a whole, I would see it more as a hassle than anything for them to shut it down. I’d like to see them come to an agreement, I think.” Says Facebook user Maggie Dudek concerning the shutting down of Facebook.
The founders of ConnectU claim that the code is rightfully there’s, and demand that Zuckerberg turn the site over to them, due to fraud and misappropriation of trade secrets.
Lawyers for Facebook deny the claim and want the case to be thrown out. Judge Woodlock, who presided over the case, denied the motion and is instead allowing the defense more time to flesh out their suit.
“Dorm room chit-chat does not make a contract,” said Woodlock as quoted in the BBC News. The case was originally filed September 2004 but was dismissed on a technicality in March this year. It was immediately refilled and is ongoing.
The case is currently going on, so only time will tell the future of Facebook.