By Rory Cellan-Jones
Technology Correspondent, BBC News
The two Americans who were awarded millions of dollars after claiming they had
come up with the idea for Facebook say their legal battle isn't over.
Cameron and Tyler Winkelvoss studied at Harvard University alongside Facebook
founder Mark Zuckerberg, where they started a site called ConnectU.
In 2008 a protracted legal battle between the two sides ended with the payment
of an undisclosed sum.
Facebook said that that it now considers "the matter concluded".
The Winkelvoss twins spoke to the BBC on the eve of the Boat Race, in which
they will both row for Oxford.
Cameron Winkelvoss refused to confirm the extent of the 2008 settlement -
thought to be $65m - but said: "I think it is safe to say the chapter is not
closed on the matter."
Social network shock
His brother Tyler said: "It's our duty to stand for principles. We're willing
to wait around and make sure that's what right has been made right."
It was a scary encounter in an unlikely setting for a technology
correspondent. In the very grand 16th-Century hall of Christ Church College
Oxford I was sitting with two giant American rowers, and wondering when to
broach the subject of Facebook
Rory Cellan-Jones BBC's technology correspondent
The two brothers started work on ConnectU in 2003. They thought that computer
science student Mark Zuckerberg was working with them, until he launched a
similar site called thefacebook.com.
Mr Zuckerberg's site became hugely popular on the Harvard campus and then,
under the name Facebook, turned into a global success.
"It was really just a sense of shock, " said Tyler Winkelvoss. "It turned into
how can we right this wrong."
The settlement of the battle between Facebook and ConnectU involved the award
of Facebook shares to the Winkelvoss twins.
The continuing dispute appears to centre on the value of those shares in a
company which has not been publicly floated.
In a statement about the dispute Facebook told the BBC:
"The settlement has been enforced by the courts and attempts to delay that
decision have been denied twice.
"We hope that discussion of spurious and false allegations and other matters
that were concluded years ago are not distracting anyone from their
preparations for the race. We consider the matter concluded."
The brothers also revealed that after years of avoiding the social network they
themselves have joined Facebook.
"We weren't on it for a long period of time," said Cameron Winkelvoss. "But
it's a utility and we're deserving to take part in that. It's a great way to
keep in touch with people back home."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/8596715.stm
Published: 2010/04/01 07:42:25 GMT