Surfbook
{{short description|Defunct social networking service}}
Surfbook was an early social networking service created by Dutch programmer Joannes Jozef Everardus van der Meer in the years prior to his death in June 2004.{{cite web|last=Mullin |first=Joe |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/02/before-facebook-there-was-surfbook-now-pay-up/ |title=Before Facebook there was "Surfbook"—now pay up | Ars Technica, February 7, 2013 |publisher=Arstechnica.com |date=2013-02-07 |access-date=2014-06-27}} Surfbook was based on technologies whose patents were filed by Van der Meer in 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21411622 |title=BBC News - Facebook sued over 'like' button, February 11, 2013 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2013-02-11 |access-date=2014-06-27}} and granted in 2001 and 2002.[http://www.nrc.nl/tech/2013/02/11/liken-is-een-nederlandse-vondst/ Nederlandse ontwikkelaars klagen Facebook aan:] NRC Handelsblad {{in lang|nl}} It allowed users share their information with selected people and approve posts using a "Like" button, and to link to external information.
On February 5, 2013, holders of the patents related to this site (Rembrandt Social Media, LP) filed a lawsuit against Facebook for infringement. In June 2014, Facebook successfully defended itself against the lawsuit after a jury found that Facebook did not infringe the patents, and separately found the patents to be invalid.{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-beats-surfbook-patent-infringement-trial-n130966 |title=Facebook Beats Surfbook in Patent-Infringement Trial |publisher=NBC News |date=2014-06-13 |access-date=2014-06-27}} The plaintiff (Rembrandt Social Media, LP) appealed the verdict, but it was upheld by a federal appeals court in February 2016.{{cite web|url=https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/news/ip-law-daily/facebook-did-not-infringe-rembrandt-patents-on-web-based-diary-systems-jury-verdict-stands/32577/ |title=Facebook did not infringe Rembrandt patents on web-based diary systems; jury verdict stands |publisher=Wolters Kulwer |date=2016-02-25 |access-date=2018-12-26}}{{cite web|url=http://business.cch.com/ipld/rembrandtVfacebook-022516.pdf |title=Opinion in Rembrandt Social Media, L.P. v. Facebook, Case No. 2014-1812, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (February 25, 2016) |access-date=2018-12-25}}