Dotcom Threatens to Sue Google Over Two-step Authentication
Your move, Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
When you hear Kim Dotcom, it's probably in the context of the internet entrepreneur's adventures with the law and MegaUpload. However, this week, Dotcom is in the news for a completely different reason. Apparently, he's threatening to sue Twitter, Google and others over their use of two-step authentication.
Kim Dotcom revealed via Twitter yesterday that he holds the patent for two-step authentication and that Twitter, Google and others are infringing upon his IP.
"Google, Facebook, Twitter, Citibank, etc. offer Two-Step-Authentication. Massive IP infringement by U.S. companies. My innovation. My patent," he tweeted, later adding, "I never sued them. I believe in sharing knowledge and ideas for the good of society. But I might sue them now cause of what the U.S. did to me."
Dotcom also provided a link to his patent, which was filed in 1998 and made public two years later, in 2000. Titled 'Method for authorizing in data transmission systems,' the patent's abstract details a method of authentication that sees the user send "a qualifying identification of the data input apparatus together with a request for the generation or for the selection of a transaction authorization number TAN or the comparable password or selects them from a data file." The authorization computer would then send this transaction authorization number to another device (the patent gives the example of a pager). The user then enters the number into the previously mentioned 'data input apparatus,' whereby the validity of the the transaction authorization number is verified.
So, Kim Dotcom owns this patent, and is holding that fact over the heads of some of the biggest names in the industry. What next? Well, Dotcom has said that he doesn't actually want to sue Google, Facebook, or Twitter. Instead, he just wants their help. The man is facing lengthy legal proceedings, the bill for which he estimates will be around $50 million. The problem is, MegaUpload's assets are all frozen, so he's asking for help.
"Google, Facebook, Twitter, I ask you for help. We are all in the same DMCA boat. Use my patent for free. But please help funding my defense," he tweeted. "All of our assets are still frozen without trial. Defending our case will cost USD 50M+. I want to fight to the end because we are innocent."
Whether or not Google, Facebook, or Twitter will lend a hand remains to be seen, but it's certainly an interesting approach to raising the money for his defense.

Regardless, the original source points out that there's prior art that could easily invalidate his patent.
He's just trolling for help out of the situation he's in.
you say trampled anyone in his way, all the other companies have done this don't kid yourself it's only that they hide behind the mask of a brand name and the people incharge insulate themselves using layers upon layers of management, just like organized crime, no way to get to the top as the old saying goes shiat rolls downhill
Second, I doubt Mr. Dotcom has the ability to sue Google, Twitter, etc. As he says, he doesn't even have enough money to defend his own case. I doubt he would then have enough money to launch and wage a lawsuit against what are some of the largest companies in the world who either by cost, principle, or optics, would rather not get involved with Mr. Dotcom.
How much copyrighted material is being stored on the various cloud solutions provided by big business? A LOT and yet they get away with it, why is that? At the end of the day he did take down copyrighted material, the amount of megavideo links that i've clicked on only to see that the video had been removed. You can say all you want that he didnt do enough but you shouldnt rob him of all his money so he cant even afford a decent lawyer. You are basicly saying that every penny he made was made through illegal means, which it obviously wasnt.
To me it just shows how corrupt the legal system is in America and how much sway the media organisations have within the gorvernment