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What exactly is a 'patent troll' and how do they operate in the realm of intellectual property and copyright?

Kaiya Casarili

A 'patent troll' is someone who buys or acquires a patent without any intention of using it themselves, but instead they use it to make money by suing other companies or people who they think might be using their patent without permission.

A patent is like a legal document that gives the owner exclusive rights to use or create something. For example, if you invent a new type of toy, you can get a patent for it that lets only you make and sell that toy.

But a 'patent troll' doesn't actually use the patent they own to create anything. Instead, they wait for others to create something similar and then they sue them for using their patented idea without permission. Sometimes, these patents are very broad and cover a lot of different things, which makes it easier for the troll to sue people.

This is not considered a good thing, because it can stifle innovation and creativity. If people are constantly worried about being sued for using an idea that they didn't even know was patented, they may not want to take risks or try new things.

So, in short, 'patent trolls' are people who hoard patents and then use them to make money through legal action, rather than creating something themselves. It is not a good thing for the realm of intellectual property and copyright because it can discourage innovation and creativity.