hi5 Networks, not-big-in-U.S.-but-big-elsewhere social network, has made a small acquisition: it has bought out PixVerse, a social chat tool used by users of hi5 and other social networks. Founded in 2007, PixVerse was backed by Venrock, and has Pix Chat and Pix Wall applications. hi5 opened up its platform, a la Facebook and others, in April this year, and PixVerse’s apps run on top of it. More details here.

Also in related hi5 news, the social network is being sued by EMI Music Group..EMI is alleging copyright infringement over user-uploaded videos that include music from the label’s artists…also included in the suit is Hi5 video service provider VideoEgg and 10 “John Doe” defendants that will be named later, reports Billboard. Videoegg says it uses Audible (NSDQ: ADBL) Magic’s filtering service to strip out protected content and that it never received a DMCA takedown notice from EMI in the past. More details in this Mediapost story.