As previously reported, Friendthem CEO Charles Sankowich is saying that his company is going to sue Facebook over a new feature the company has rolled out, called, “Find Friends Nearby“. The feature comes from Facebook’s recent acquisition of social discovery app Glancee, but Sankowich says Facebook really stole the idea from him, and he intends to bring his story to a court of law.

“We won’t litigate this matter publicly but we have ample information, including a dinner with a senior executive, multiple traded emails, and Facebook’s discussion of a ‘hack-a-thon’ that we have a strong legal case,” Sankowich tells WebProNews.

He adds that there is more info, which Friendthem will share shortly. That should be interesting.

“Facebook’s offering validates our belief in our product and the power of our message: ‘life happens when people connect’ and ‘you never know what a friend request can lead to’,’ says Sankowich.

These are trademarked phrases Friendthem keeps bringing up, with regards to Facebook’s alleged theft.

“We at Friendthem believe in the power of connectivity and we work hard in giving the world a seamless way to do so,” he adds.

Here’s what Friendthem does, according to its website:

Location-based Friend Requests – Imagine you meet someone at a party, a conference, or even out for a walk. This could potentially lead to a date, a new job, or just a great friendship. As you part ways, this person says “Facebook me” and then disappears. Friendthem is a location-based app which helps you find that person and send a friend request.

In a previous article, I made the point that what Friendthem offers is similar to other social discovery apps, including Glancee (which has been around since 2010).

“No, we are not like others,” Sankowich tells us. “They offer a lot of information and they allow their users to ‘instant message’. These are two differentials and what separates us from them. They are social networks and dating sites. We protect the users’ space and limit their exposure. We don’t ask them to put a lot of information out. Friendthem understands that our users want attention, but they want it on their terms. Others allow their users to get attention, but it is on the senders terms, not on the receivers like it is for us. Friendthem asks them to give up minimal and gain the maximum.”

“We, like Facebook, understand there are privacy issues in this space and we are one of the few to understand it and completely respect it!” he adds.

We’re still awaiting comment from Facebook.