ByteDance, the maker of TikTok, Helo, and Resso, as well as platforms specific to the Chinese market – Toutiao, Douyin, and Xigua – has joined Open Invention Network. As the maker of the leading global short video platform, ByteDance has joined the largest patent non-aggression community in history to publicly reinforce its commitment to open source software as an enabler of advanced infrastructure computing systems.
“Through our information platforms people can be more creative and enrich their lives through deeper communications with their friends and family. We view Linux and adjacent open source software as key elements for our business,” said Lynn Wu, Chief IP Counsel at ByteDance. “ByteDance’s participation in the OIN community shows our consistent commitment to shared innovation. We will continue to support it with patent non-aggression in core Linux and other important OSS technologies.”
ByteDance joins fellow short video social media platform maker Kuaishou Group, which joined OIN earlier in 2021.
Funded by Google, IBM, NEC, Philips, Sony, SUSE and Toyota, OIN has more than 3,500 community members. The OIN patent license and member cross-licenses are available royalty-free to any party that joins the OIN community.
OIN’s community practices patent non-aggression in core Linux and adjacent open source technologies by cross-licensing “Linux System” patents to one another at no cost. Patents owned by Open Invention Network are similarly licensed royalty-free to any organization that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System.
The Linux System is comprised of low-level software components that OIN and its community have categorized as core computing technology for the OSS community. By joining the Open Invention Network and freely sharing the innovations at building block computing levels, community members can invest more resources in the more valuable and differentiating technology higher in the computing stack. Just like ByteDance.
“Internet platforms continue to transform the way people, teams and businesses communicate and collaborate. Linux and other open source platforms are the enabling technologies that internet platforms leverage to scale globally,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network. “We are glad that ByteDance is looking to do its part to mitigate global patent risk for OSS by joining OIN and demonstrating its commitment to collaborative innovation and patent non-aggression in open source.”
