Yahoo to Facebook: Pay up for patents or face lawsuit

Yahoo, in a desperate bid to stay relevant (and solvent), is pressing Facebook to pay up for as many as 20 patents the company says Facebook infringes. According to Yahoo, Facebook stepped on its toes with technologies that include advertising, the personalization of Web sites, social networking, and messaging. Yahoo defended its position in an email to The New York Times:

Yahoo has a responsibility to its shareholders, employees and other stakeholders to protect its intellectual property. We must insist that Facebook either enter into a licensing agreement or we will be compelled to move forward unilaterally to protect our rights.

Translation: Fork it over or we’ll slap you with a lawsuit. Facebook has not yet responded.

Source: The New York Times