Facebook faces lawsuit over 'Like' button

SAN MATEO, Calif. – A Colorado man's dislike of Facebook's "Like" button has landed the social-media giant in court – and his lawsuit could have far-reaching implications.

Anthony Ditirro claims Facebook falsely said he "Liked" USA TODAY, though he never clicked on the feature or visited the publication's web site. His class-action suit, filed in federal court in San Jose late Thursday, seeks $750 for him and anyone else whose likeness appears in ads for products they did not endorse.

"Although PLAINTIFF has nothing negative to say about USA TODAY newspapers, PLAINTIFF is not an avid reader of USA TODAY, nor does PLAINTIFF endorse the newspaper," the suit says.

The lawsuit says the bogus 'Like' violates state and federal laws tied to privacy and publicity rights.

Facebook spokeswoman Genevieve Grdina said the complaint is "without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously."

Facebook, which was previously sued for allegedly reading private messages to harvest "Likes," has said endorsed ads are more valuable than a regular ad.