(ANSA) - Milan, September 17 - A Milan court specialized in business disputes on Tuesday ruled that Facebook must pay an Italian software firm, Business Competence, 350,000 euros in damages for having copying one of its apps. The case regards Faround, an app the Italian company launched in October 2012 to help users find bars and restaurants that could be of interest to them in their areas.
In December that year, Facebook invited its users to download a similar app, Nearby Places.
Indeed, the court upheld the Italian firm's assertion that the Nearby Places was identical in "concept and format" to Faround.
It said Facebook was guilty of "parasitic appropriation of investments by others" to create a product with a "significant economic value".
Facebook ordered to pay damages to Italian firm
'Parasitic appropriation' of app by social media giant