iPod map-publisher ordered to cease and desist

William Bright, a website designer, shrunk the digital maps of subway systems in 12 cities so that they could be displayed on an iPod's 2-inch color screen, but was contacted shortly afterwards by the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The authority's senior associate counsel wrote: "you must cease and desist immediately, take the NYC subway map off your website and confirm to me by e-mail that you will not do this again," according to the report from The Los Angeles Times. A week later, the manager of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) district's website also demanded that Bright stop offering a map of the BART system, according to the report. Bright asked permission from the cities to create and offer downloadable maps, but so far only the Metro system in Washington, D.C. has agreed. The New York MTA demanded $500, but Bright developed a new map of the Bay Area commuter system from scratch, and he might do the same with New York's subways as well, according to the report.

Filed under: iPod, industry