All innovators face the reality that many, many things have been thought of already, and are patented in some markets. The goal of the patent system is to reward those who have created novel and innovative products and put them to productive use. In some cases, the patent system that rewards innovation has been perverted by taking advantage of nuances in the US legal system. This has led to the use of mothballed patents to extort fees from Internet infrastructure providers. The “trolls” engaging in this practice are the often-shadowy legal entities who threaten to file suits in the hopes of settling claims rather than engaging in litigation. Due to the structure of patent litigation in the US, the initial cost of defending a patent suit falls on the alleged infringer. These suits can cost millions to fight, it often makes economic sense to settle the suit rather than fight it, even if the alleged infringer believes it has done nothing wrong.
Internet infrastructure providers face a landscape of tough competition. Having to deal with these trolls just takes away time and energy from our efforts to make our services better than they already are. This is why we fight against patent trolls.
While patent troll abuse cuts across the economic spectrum, injuring retailers, realtors, fast food businesses and the tech industry alike, their tactics are especially lethal to technology start-up companies. We must eliminate this exploitation of the patent system to protect all businesses. i2Coalition seeks to find a meaningful alternative to paying the troll toll.
Want to work with us on Patent Reform? Join the i2Coalition and our Public Policy Working Group.
Recent Updates On Patent Reform
i2Coalition Announces Hiring Of Policy Director, Monica Sanders
Monica will coordinate i2Coalition work on the policy initiatives chosen for focus by the member-led i2Coalition Working Groups.
Save The Date 2017 Congressional Member Fly-In
i2Coalition Members and guests please join us in Washington D.C. April 11th and 12th 2017 for our annual Congressional Member Fly-In.
2016 U.S. Election: An Internet Forecast
The unexpected election of Donald Trump, along with continued Republican control of both houses of Congress will have a big impact on our US priorities.
i2Coalition Statement on Innovation Act
i2Coalition Co-founder and Public Policy Chair David Snead issued the following statement on the introduction of the bipartisan Innovation Act.
Top 14 in ‘14: i2Coalition Celebrates Its 2014 Accomplishments
In the past 12 months, we’ve accomplished a great deal both on a domestic and global scale.
i2Coalition Statement on Supreme Court Aereo Decision
Washington, D.C. – Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) Co-Founder and Public Policy Chair David Snead released the following statement following the Supreme Court’s Aereo decision: “In the Supreme Court ruling on Aereo, the majority stated that cloud computing won’t be impacted by this decision. Cloud computing is increasingly central to modern technology. Content owners, intellectual property […]
i2Coalition Disappointed Patent Reform Removed from Senate Agenda
The i2Coalition is deeply disappointed that patent reform legislation has been removed from the Senate Judiciary Committee agenda. Patent trolls are a real and increasingly growing problem for innovators in the United States, costing companies $29 billion in resources and revenue in 2011 alone. The lack of action by the Senate will only embolden trolls […]
i2Coalition Signs Big Tent Coalition Letter to Congress on Patent Reform
Washington, DC – The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) today joined with nearly 400 other members of the Big Tent Coalition to send a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Grassley in support of a strong patent bill. The full text of the letter, which will also be sent to the rest of […]
Sayegh, Sabetian: Act to stop ‘judicial hellholes’
“Judicial Hellholes” is the name of a recent annual report from the American Tort Reform Association, and once again Texas finds itself named to the list and getting this (unwanted) attention — thanks to the preying acts of “patent trolls.”
i2Coalition Statement on Patent Reform Executive Actions
Washington, DC – Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) Co-Founder and Public Policy Working Group Chair David Snead today released the following statement discussing President Obama’s Executive Actions on patent reform: “i2Coalition is encouraged by the series of Executive Actions issued today by the Obama administration, but without Congressional action these reforms are altogether insufficient when it […]
Patent Trolling on the Rise (Again)
Members of the Internet infrastructure industry are keenly aware of the devastating effects caused by Patent Assertion Entities, commonly referred to as patent trolls. These trolls unfairly target legitimate businesses with their baseless lawsuits and exploit vague business patents that hurt a broad spectrum of companies. The impacts have both short and long term economic […]