FACEBOOK SUES STUDIVZ

Facebook recently sued StudiVZ, a German company that claims to be “the most successful social network in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” alleging that StudiVZ copies “the look, feel, features and services” of the Facebook site. Facebook accused StudiVZ of copying entire portions of the site’s design, including features such as Facebook’s “Fun Wall”, which allows users to leave messages on each other’s profile pages. Facebook reportedly claims that any differences are “nominal,” and accuses StudiVZ of merely “replacing Facebook’s blue colour scheme with a red one.”

StudiVZ asked a German court in Stuttgart to declare that Facebook’s claims are without merit. According to this Reuters report, StudiVZ claims Facebook is suing them because Facebook has failed to transplant its success to the German market. “Their strategy appears to be: ‘If you can’t beat them, sue them,’” said Marcus Riecke, StudiVZ’s CEO.