Name: How I beat a patent troll
Uploaded: 2012-04-17T15:00:43Z
Duration: 6 min 23 s
Description: Drew Curtis, the founder of fark.com, tells the story of how he fought a lawsuit from a company that had a patent, "...for the creation and distribution of news releases via email." Along the way he shares some nutty statistics about the growing legal problem of frivolous patents.

The private and social costs of patent trolls

The direct costs from NPE disputes

Drew Curtis, the founder of fark.com, tells the story of how he fought a lawsuit from a company that had a patent, "...for the creation and distribution of news releases via email." Along the way he shares some nutty statistics about the growing legal problem of frivolous patents.

How I beat a patent troll

Patent trolls exploit obscure and overly broad patents to sue companies for everyday practices, often settling for large sums under non-disclosure agreements. Defending against these lawsuits can cost two million dollars and take 18 months, even if the defendant wins. One small company refused to settle or sign an NDA, exposing the troll’s lack of evidence and ultimately paying nothing. Patent trolls drain billions from the economy each year, fueling more lawsuits and stifling innovation.