Twitter被CDC用來發佈新流感的疫情, Twitter被用來溝通緊急災害的即時訊息, Twitter之類的即時溝通平台已經被廣為運用, 但是現在卻被警告: 使用Twitter來當做緊急應變的廣播平台是違法的?? 這是怎麼回事呢?
Law.com的文章”Twitter Sued Over Emergency Tweets“, 指出Twitter被用來當做緊急應變的廣播平台是違法的, 因為侵犯了TechRadium的智慧財產權
內容指出:
TechRadium, an emergency alert provider, argues that it has patents covering the process for simultaneously notifying large numbers of people about emergencies through multiple communication gateways, such as cell phones, pagers and e-mail. The company develops and sells the technology to schools, businesses, governments and the U.S. military but not Twitter.
TechRadium claims that Twitter’s design falls within the patented technology, so when organizations tweet about road closures, fires or bad weather, the company claims its patent rights are being violated.
意思是說TechRadium在緊急通報流程上具有專利, 而Twitter的用途落在他們的專利範圍內, 因此正控告Twitter侵權, 目前Twitter尚未做出回應
在之前TechRadium也以類似的狀況控告Blackboard, 因為BlackBoard的系統用來通知學生家長關於學生的上下課狀況及校園緊急通報
Twitter目前擁有專利”digital notification and response system” (2006/10), “method for providing digital notification” (2009/2), “method for providing digital notification and receiving responses” (2009/4)
有人就消遣說: 如果今天大家是使用Vine來當緊急溝通平台, 大概就是Microsoft會被控告, 並且可能所有緊急應變網站都算侵權…
所以結論就是: 人怕出名, 豬怕肥, 如果這個官司會成立的話, 大概連歐巴馬跟歐普拉都必須以侵權共犯身份來出庭…