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Facebook Sues Boston Phoenix And WFNX Over Alleged Patent Breach

Boston legal analysts say a lawsuit filed by social media giant Facebook against the owners of the Boston Phoenix and WFNX radio is possibly a strategy to resolve a patent fight that's been going on since last year.

Facebook alleges the "band guide" and "find restaurants" features on the Phoenix website as well as the radio station's online music player, all breach Facebook patents.

Boston-based patent attorney Eric Belt has reviewed the counter-suit, now in Boston federal court, against the paper's owners Phoenix Media.

"It's not tit for tat, but it's a way to say to the plaintiff, look, this isn't just going to be an easy ride for you. You're going to now have to fight back against our own patents," Belt says.

Phoenix Media first filed a patent lawsuit against Facebook last year.

This program aired on November 9, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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