What Government's Being Accused of Serial Patent Infringement and IP Theft?

"Which one isn't?"

FDA

It's not China, often accused of IP and copyright piracy, and used as a stalking horse by politicians seeking to push through legislation to control internet security. Fox News finds several companies accusing various agencies of the federal government of stealing software and other forms of intellectual property, including one lawsuit against the Department of Energy by the technology company Demodulation seeking $50 million.  The dispute involves "microwire" and related intelligence-gathering trade secrets. The government argues the patents are expired now, but the company claims they weren't before the government helped drive it out of business. The Army settled with another company last year, Apptricity, which accused the government of wilfully ignoring software license limits and trying to conceal that it was misappropriating the software. Nevertheless, after a $50 million settlement, the company's founder and president told Fox he didn't "think there was malicious intent."

Other accusations chronicled by Fox News include the government ignoring the copyright for a lead-free "green" bullet, infringing on a patent for a mine detecting device, and stealing software to monitor food safety. The owner of the company that developed the food safety software, for the FDA, is apparently a "retired federal government official." He told Fox he had "never seen anything like" what the feds did to his company.

Related: Ron Bailey on killing off software patents.

More Reason on copyright and patent law.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

If they hadn't stole the blueprints to Harry Stamper's drill the planet would be gone right now.

[OldMexican]

What Government's Being Accused of Serial Patent Infringement and IP Theft?

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick ?

[Emmerson Biggins]

So I have to pay tax dollars for the government breaking it's own law that I don't think should exist. Awesome.

[UnCivilServant]

I have long come to accept tax dollars as sunk costs until further notice. I'm not going to get anything out of them, so the only viable strategy is to work to reduce the amount lost in the future.

[Episiarch]

The government follows none of its own supposed rules in any other context; why the fuck would it do so here? Who is going to stop it? This is the inevitable progression of government, folks: the progression to the point where it truly understands that by having a monopoly on force, it can do anything it wants, and FUCK YOU THAT'S WHY.

Our government has reached that point. Whether it's the NSA or patents or whatever, the parasites who operate the government have finally realized that the government doesn't police itself, and therefore they can do anything they want.

[The Late P Brooks]

It's the "You Didn't Invent That" doctrine.

It's right there, in the footnotes of the Social Contract.

"As no thought, consciousness or productive endeavor would exist absent applicable government intellectual framework and physical infrastructure, all rights and claims shall revert to the government at government's discretion, based on necessity as determined by government."

[db]

It's the modern version of prima nocta.

[KPres]

It's the "You Didn't Invent That" doctrine.

Seems pretty popular amongst the commentariat.

[The Late P Brooks]

the parasites who operate the government have finally realized that the government doesn't police itself, and therefore they can do anything they want.

Is the Justice Department supposed to extort a financial settlement from DARPA? That's just silly. It's like taking money from one pocket, and putting it in another. Now, extorting money from J P Morgan, that's a going concern.

[db]

The owner of the company that developed the food safety software, for the FDA, is apparently a "retired federal government official." He told Fox he had "never seen anything like" what the feds did to his company.

Well, not from the victim's side of the table, anyway.

[RishJoMo]

No way so why didnt I ever think of that? That actualyl makes sense.

http://www.AnonGoes.tk

[Invisible Finger]

Now you know why toilet seats cost the government $500 - the company quoted FedGov an outrageous price hoping they'd walk away.

[Sigivald]

Liberty Ammunition, which is suing the government for allegedly infringing on its copyright for developing a lead-free "green bullet" after it worked on the invention with the Department of Defense.

Isn't that "patent", I'd hope?

Because the word copyright doesn't work there.