Doubleclick Cofounder Responds to Patent Troll by Filing Extortion Lawsuit

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Doubleclick Cofounder Responds to Patent Troll by Filing Extortion Lawsuit

Posted by Unknown on Tuesday September 17, 2013 @12:04AM from the sued-the-wrong-guy dept.

New submitter kintamanimatt writes with news that someone other than newegg is fighting back against patent trolls, despite the business case for settling. This time, however, one of the founders of the Doubleclick ad network has decided to use his personal money to not only fight a patent troll attacking his new startup, but to strike back at them under the RICO act. "'There's a lot of outrageous stories, but everyone's so damn afraid of coming forward — It's like going against the Mafia,' he [Kevin O'Connor] said. But the idea that trolls may retaliate against those who speak out is overblown, he thinks. 'If they want to try to teach me a lesson, go for it. This will be my retirement. I'll fight them.' The patent troll's attorney also made the claim that calling someone a 'patent troll' was actually a 'hate crime' under 'Ninth Circuit precedent' and threatened to file criminal charges — unless they settled the civil case immediately, apologized, and gave financial compensation to the troll. The offer was 'good until close of business that day.'"

21 of 225 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

I have mixed feelings about this. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 00:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

Then again, I hate them both and if they beat the shit out of each other, all the better.
1. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by techprophet · 2013-09-17 00:11 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Easier to deal with ads than patent trolls. Oops, am I going to jail for hate speech now?
2. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 00:26 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  'patent troll' was actually a 'hate crime' under 'Ninth Circuit precedent'
  this should be the quote of the day, probably one of the most ridiculous statements I have read in awhile!! not only do they rip off anyone and everyone but they waste the courts time with absurd charges, or the courts are stupid enough to take on such cases.
  They need a think tank to create new laws or use current laws to put the hammer down on these trolls!!
3. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 00:34 · Score: 0, Insightful
  
  I don't know if it is a crime, but it is definately hate
4. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by techprophet · 2013-09-17 00:38 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It isn't hate. Rather, it is disrespectful and insulting - exactly as intended.
5. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 01:47 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  It's apparent that the whole patent system is in dire need of an overhaul. The question is who will finally step up in the government to fix this mess..
  Overhaul, like in "It's apparent that the whole slavery system is in dire need of an overhaul". The word you're looking for is "abolishment".
6. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by thaylin · 2013-09-17 01:48 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  No, a limited patent system is good for the economy, and does reward innovation, the problem is that the current system does neither.
  
  --
  When you cant win, ad hominem.
7. Re: I have mixed feelings about this. by SecurityGuy · 2013-09-17 02:21 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  As a lawyer buddy reminded me, we don't have a justice system. We have a legal system. That explains a lot.
8. Re:I have mixed feelings about this. by flimflammer · 2013-09-17 02:24 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I don't. Someone you don't like doing a good thing is still a good thing.
The only victims in these battles by EmagGeek · 2013-09-17 00:13 · Score: 5, Insightful

are the consumers who end up paying for both sides.
1. Re:The only victims in these battles by fgouget · 2013-09-17 01:35 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  are the consumers who end up paying for both sides.
  So your position is that it's better to not fight such extortion schemes? Because then the only victims are still going to be the consumers who are going to pay the patent trolls through increased prices. And since nobody fights back (your policy), more trolls will come to the easy money feast. And that is better how?
I don't like Ad companies by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 00:25 · Score: 5, Insightful

And how they track and use the data they accumulate.
But they are a far more benign cancer and in fact do help pay for the intarwebs as we know it.
Patent trolls, on the other hand, do absolutely nothing positive for technology, the internet or the world and no, they do not protect inventors.
Patent trolls are an extremely malignant force and raise the cost of doing business for legitimate companies tremendously.
Doubleclick= annoying.
Patent trolls= criminal.
I am amazed that anyone with the capacity to use the internet states that they believe otherwise.
1. Re: I don't like Ad companies by pla · 2013-09-17 01:06 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Except patent trolls aren't actually committing crimes, and therefore aren't criminal.
  
  The worst criminals have always had the law on their side - From the landed nobles of Old Europe, to the "robber barons" of the late 19th / early 20th centuries, to patent trolls and the RIAA, MPAA, and BSA today.
  
  Doesn't make it right. They all belong(ed) up against the wall.
Giant Duche vs Turd Sandwich by doas777 · 2013-09-17 00:31 · Score: 1, Insightful

So a guy who got rich by assuming illegitimate rights over peoples personal info, is mad that another entity is trying to get rich by assuming illegitimate rights over a process that appears to sell that personal info. Mafioso's all around.
1. Re:Giant Duche vs Turd Sandwich by gsslay · 2013-09-17 00:50 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Try and step away from the personalities involved for a moment. In this particular situation who is in the right, and who is the scum-bag criminal?
  Personally I hope the patent troll gets pummelled into a greasy spot on the courtroom floor, and a precedent is set that applies for all other patent trolls. So, uncharacteristically, I'm rooting for doubleclick.
don't extort a billionaire for $50K by raymorris · 2013-09-17 00:39 · Score: 5, Insightful

The troll screwed up this time. $50K?!?! To O'Connor, that's like $20 is to most of us. It might get more expensive? As is $150K, less than 0.1% of his net worth? I don't think he's scared.
Re:Go After the Lawyers also by easyTree · 2013-09-17 00:55 · Score: 4, Insightful

Wouldn't camaraderie amongst the legalistas prevent this getting off the ground?

--
Requiem for the American Dream
The winners by schneidafunk · 2013-09-17 00:58 · Score: 5, Insightful

And the winners are the lawyers on both sides.

--
Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75. -Benjamin Franklin
Re:Go After the Lawyers also by JaredOfEuropa · 2013-09-17 01:02 · Score: 5, Insightful

That's a logical step if this type of trolling is indeed classed as extortion. In that case, the lawyers are complicit in the crime.

--
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Re:Go After the Lawyers also by rwise2112 · 2013-09-17 01:11 · Score: 3, Insightful

Someone needs to not only go after the trolls, but go after the law license of the Attorneys representing them as well. Get a couple of lawyers disbarred and watch the lawsuits end!
From what I've seen, it seems a lot of these patent troll companies are owned by lawyers.

--

"For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert"
Re:Extortion and barratry are not legal by Theaetetus · 2013-09-17 03:21 · Score: 4, Insightful

My understanding is that patent cases are not tried by jury.
Did you miss the whole Apple-Samsung jury foreman interview fight?