Twitter, Facebook, Snap Get Abstract Patents Trimmed From Suits

A California federal judge trimmed patent suits that a Xerox Corp. subsidiary filed against Twitter Inc., Facebook Inc., and Snap Inc., finding certain patents covered only an abstract idea.

Palo Alto Research Center Inc. sued the social media companies last year. It alleged the companies used its patented technology, including through tools that Twitter and Facebook use to help stop the spread of false or misleading news.

Judge André Birotte Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California said U.S. Patent No. 7,167,871, covering a system for determining the authoritativeness of a ...