According to latest media reports, Yahoo has filed an intellectual property (IP) lawsuit against Facebook in the US district court for the northern district of California.

Hillgrove PR analyses the pros and cons of this interesting topic where Yahoo seems to assert an aggressive stance under its new CEO Scott Thompson.

Yahoo’s lawsuit over 10 disputed patents comes as Facebook is all set to collect millions of dollars through its IPO share offer later this year. Yahoo did the same with internet giant Google when they offered public offer shares in 2004. Yahoo’s initiative that time was successful as Google settled the case by issuing 2.7 million shares to it.

Yahoo says Facebook has infringed 10 of its patents including systems and methods for advertising on the web. In the IP lawsuit, Yahoo said its patents relate to cutting edge innovations in online products, including in messaging, news feed generation, social commenting, advertising display, preventing click fraud and privacy controls. The law suit alleged that Facebook’s entire social network model, which allows users to create profiles and connect with, among other things, persons and businesses, is based on Yahoo’s patented social networking technology.

Facebook managers are not happy with Yahoo’s decision and feel that Yahoo had not tried hard to settle the matter without involving the courts. Facebook commented on the issue: “We’re disappointed that Yahoo, a longtime business partner of Facebook and a company that has substantially benefited from its association with Facebook, has decided to resort to litigation.”

Yahoo is facing consecutive quarters of revenue declines and there were recent changes to its board of directors. By suing Facebook at this crucial time, they may be expecting a reasonably large compensation fund from the popular social media giant.

Patent disputes are a regular happening among electronic product manufacturers but it is rare in the sphere of social media. The users of both Yahoo and Facebook may be closely watching this clash of the Titans. However, Hillgrove PR feels that it is not going to affect the sale of IPO shares of Facebook as there is huge enthusiasm among the public to snatch the shares of this leading consumer social media site.

Hillgrove PR’s media research learnt that Amnesty International, the London-based rights monitor, has raised concerns about a ban on opposition rallies and meetings, and the detention of journalists in Azerbaijan. Hence there are calls for a boycott of this year’s Eurovision song contest to be held in May in Azerbaijan. The music show is expected to be watched by around 125 million television viewers from 42 countries.

The Guardian newspaper quoted John Dalhuisen, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia programme, as saying: “The regime must realise that hosting glitzy events such as Eurovision won’t mask the extent of the country’s human rights violations. They need drastically to change their attitude to peaceful protest.”

Human Rights Watch, the New York-based organisation, last month criticized the Azerbaijan government for forcible evictions of people from their homes to make way for “city beautification” before Eurovision Song contest. It was reported that people were forced to vacate their residences without prior notice and proper compensation.

The boycott call is a nice way to rein in human rights violators! But the concerned parties should ensure that such a famous show like the Eurovision song contest does not get cancelled.

Hillgrove PR feels that the government of Azerbaijan will act responsibly and will improve its image in respecting human rights before the Eurovision Song contest begins in May.

According to sources, the U.S. gas prices have increased to record levels of around 8.8 percent since the start of this year, topping an average of $3.65 a gallon this week. The crude oil prices also hit a more than nine-month high at $106.72 a barrel on Feb 22.

The starting of year 2011 saw a jump in the gasoline prices because of Arab spring uprising and the destructive earthquake in Japan, and it almost dragged American economy back into recession.

So the current price hike of gasoline leads to hot debates on whether it is going to severely affect the American economic growth. Leading economists remarked that this time the situation is different – there are no supply-chain problems disrupting factory production and winter this year has been unseasonably warm, giving the economy a mild stimulus. And so, they say the recovering economy can withstand the current blow.

But we at Hillgrove PR feel that the main point of concern here is the tension between Western countries and Iran, the world’s fifth largest oil exporter. Iran has taken a confrontational stance on UN sanctions against its nuclear weapons programme. Iran has already announced stopping of crude export to Britain and France. Iran is also involved in the Syrian crisis where the government forces are crushing a civilian uprising. Iran on Wednesday denied the UN watchdog permission to inspect one of its military sites, leading to speculation that some nuclear armament programme may be taking place there. And it is also rumoured that Israel may opt for bombing Iran’s nuclear installations.

All these points are of great concern as they have the potential to drag the world economy into another global recession which will be catastrophic this time. The news analysis wing of Hillgrove PR will update you regularly with latest developments in this regard.