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Facebook sues German rival

Social-networking giant, which launched its own German language version earlier this year, asserts that StudiVZ simply replaced Facebook's "blue color scheme with a red one."

Natalie Weinstein Former Senior Editor / News
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Natalie Weinstein

Social-networking giant Facebook has filed a copyright infringement suit against a German counterpart, according to the Financial Times.

StudiVZ is accused of "copying the look, feel, features and services" of Facebook, including its "wall" feature, according to the complaint filed Friday in California, the Financial Times reported.

The suit asserts that the sites are so similar that StudiVZ simply replaced Facebook's "blue color scheme with a red one."

According to StudiVZ's site, the Berlin-based company has 10 million users. The site was purchased last year by German publisher Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck.

Facebook launched its own German language version in March.

CNET News could not immediately reach StudiVZ for comment.