

Ask HN: Has Facebook licensed CPC bidding patent 6,269,361 from Yahoo? - d2

I tried Facebook ads for the first time today and was surprised to see a CPC bid model. Google paid Yahoo millions in stock to license the CPC bidding model covered by patent 6,269,361 (also called patent 361 for short). Has Facebook done a deal with Yahoo to license 361? Or is this patent ignored by ad networks these days?<p>I'd like to know what the view is on this patent because it prevents a lot of entrepreneurs from innovating in the CPC bidding space.<p>Screenshot of Facebook CPC bidding:<p>http://i.imgur.com/xdVfX.png<p>The patent:<p>http://1.usa.gov/eEFi2Q<p>WebProNews article discussing 361 and that it may be the cause of Microsoft's interest in Yahoo (back when the rumor was flying that MS was going to buy yahoo).<p>http://www.webpronews.com/microsofts-yahoo-interest-patently-paid-search-2008-07<p>Googling the patent and Facebook yields a deafening silence, unless I missed something.
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ig1
Doesn't that patent only apply to search listings ?

