Brothers' row with Facebook nears finish

Olympic rowing twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have signalled the possible end to their long-running dispute with Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg.

The pair have decided not to appeal against a 2008 deal that was intended to resolve a feud over whether Zuckerberg stole the idea for what became the world's most popular social networking website from the Winklevosses, who, like him, had attended Harvard University. Their battle was dramatised in the 2010 film The Social Network.

After agreeing to a $65m settlement, the Winklevosses sought to undo it, saying it was fraudulent because Facebook had hidden information from them, and that they deserved more money.

The 6ft 5in twins, who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had been planning to launch an appeal against a ruling in April that called the deal "quite favourable".

In court documents filed on Wednesday, the Winklevosses said that after "careful consideration", they decided not to seek Supreme Court review. No reason was given for the decision.

Mr Zuckerberg created Facebook in 2004 in his Harvard University dormitory room. The California case had been brought by ConnectU Inc, which the Winklevosses set up with another Harvard student, Divya Narendra.

Facebook, in a statement, said: "We've considered this case closed for a long time, and we're pleased to see the other party now agrees."

Jerome Falk, a lawyer for the Winklevosses and Mr Narendra, did not immediately return requests for a comment.

The latest move clears the way for Facebook to seek the dismissal of a related lawsuit filed in Boston.