CarFax is patenting the internet today. BoingBoing reports that CarFax has patented searching the internet for cars with clean titles. From U.S. Patent No. 7,228,298:

Apparatus and method for perusing selected vehicles having a clean title history
Assignee: Carfax, Inc.
Issued: June 5, 2007
Filed: September 3, 2002
Abstract: A system and method for allowing a consumer to search a database containing used vehicles from a variety of sellers that can be queried to provide search results that include only vehicles having clean title histories.

We’re surprised that Verizon doesn’t already hold this patent. They patented the internet back in 1996. —MEGHANN MARCO

New low in patent stupidty: searching for a used car with a clean title [BoingBoing]

Reader Brandon comments:

The patent is for a SYSTEM of searching, not the search itself…

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