Friendster Gets a Patent

Friendster, the pioneering online-networking site that is still popular with some college students, is signaling to those who would copy its methods to watch out. The company received a patent covering a “system, method, and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks.” Friendster’s president, Kent Lindstrom, was quoted by Red Herring as saying, “We’ll do what we can to protect our intellectual property.”—Andrea L. Foster