Bonum Certa Men Certa

Preserving Material About the European Patent Office (EPO) and Abuses by EPO Management

Keeping as much information as is publicly available online for good

SUEPO archived: [Home | contact | public | about us | background | links]

SUEPO page



Summary: Techrights amasses information about EPO abuses, but there are cases where such information gets taken down and we explore/explain why

At long last, after experimentation nearly two months ago, SUEPO changes its Web site's design and adds an RSS feed. It has been getting difficult to open the SUEPO Web page (necessary in the absence of an RSS feed) because of many embedded videos that accompanied it, never mind the endless wall of text (going years back).



Whatever happens at the European Patent Office (and will happen in months/years to come), it is important to keep properly documented what happened over the past few years in order to serve as a cautionary tale. SUEPO already removed some of the content from its older site/incarnation (like the Drupal-powered site) and was at times, under pressure from EPO management, removing some material. We still do our very best to never let stuff simply vanish (deletionism/revisionism a possibility thereafter). The only thing ever removed here (after more than 20,000 blog posts) was a long post about the EPO. It later turned out that after we removed it people had already made copies from Google cache and pasted the whole thing elsewhere (not within our control and completely without our knowledge). The EPO's management was the first ever to send us a threatening legal letter. Another such threat was sent to us about a week ago after the EPO's management had expressed anger over a TV program. We have received a lot of feedback since the videos (of the TV program) were removed. The videos started with information about one of 5 recent EPO suicides, blaming it (at least partly) on the Investigative Unit. One reader told us that the "most brutal reorganisation (as part of the reforms) has apparently been carried out in Patent Administration. Two (or three?) of the Munich colleagues who committed suicide worked in Patent Administration units. The working pressure must be extremely high there."

In an attempt to figure out why takedown of the videos was demanded we considered various views, some of which provided compelling explanations and potential remedies.

"I expected the EPO to threaten BRtv," told us one reader, "however I don't get why they (BRtv) agree so easily?!?!? BR should rather be glad that Techrights, SUEPO and others spread their revealing report, shouldn't they?"

This reader added, "perhaps is this only something from the BR to remain in full control of their material?"

"It would be easier to believe if it didn't take so long and the EPO didn't make the two internal communications that it made," I responded. "Bavarian politicians now intervene. The video supports culpability for deaths."

A reasonable explanation for BR's takedown request was provided by another reader, who remarked as follows (redacted):

I checked the Mediathek-View app, and found that the original, German, un-undertitled "Kontrovers" videos are still present there. Videos of the BR-produced "Kontrovers" feature are usually staying there in the Mediathek for a very! long! time! - see other "Kontrovers" videos. These are usually NOT removed after 8 days, or four weeks (unlike normal productions).

So this is one important conclusion for you, me and the public.

So you can use the mere presence of the BR EPO-Video (in the Mediathek) as a "canary" that BR has apparently not received a take-down notice from EPO (or is ignoring such a letter)!

Another issue is the copyright status of the transcript.

(DE undertitles) and the translations (FR, EN), which -- in my view -- are added-value, and intellectual property of the translators (in this case: WTF license). But I am not sure and you should contact a lawyer, whether you can still publish the two (three) text versions. From view of the DE transcriber and the EN/FR translators: they do not claim any rights for sure.

Here is the up-to-date information (23.03.2016)

The "Story" (Bayerischer Rundfunk/Bayerisches Fernsehen "Kontrovers" 02.03.2016) is still available in the (official) producer's ARD MEDIATHEK:

Page with background information text

Video selection page

Direct URLs to the videos:

High Definition Video

Single Definition Video

Small Definition Video

I hope you understood what I wrote in addition, namely that one can regard the presence of that specific video in the ARD MEDIATHEK as a "canary" (that ARD / BR is part of ARD / have not received a take-down notice from the EPO, or is ignoring this).

[...]

Normally, due to German law, broadcast videos must not be available longer than 7 days (otherwise, the TV/Radiostations WOULD fall under Internet law, as Internet provider, and not as journals/publishers laws.) This is the legal background, why TV/Radio stations in Germany must usually remove their Mediathek copies after 7 days. But for special programms (Eigenproduktionen), a different rule exist, luckily!


Similar information came to our attention at around the same time.

As one reader put it, "first of all many thanks for all the excellent work done so far. Your informative contribution is essential for the public and the 8800 employees and former employees of the EPO." Here is a slightly redacted (for privacy) version of the explanation:

Allow me to comment on the article: "Why Bayerischer Rundfunk Videos About the European Patent Office Have Been Removed"

I try to keep it short. The Bayerische Rundfunk (BR) is the public broadcasting authority of the Bavarian free state (Freistaat Bayern). The same kind of authority exists in the other German states (Länder). I guess they compare with the BBC. The trouble with the public broadcast is that they are NOT independent but their Masters voice. This is a structural flaw. Another problem is a lack of financial transparency and a questionable governance. I guess you see where I am heading to...

The BR and other "Staatsfunk" are structurally the same kind of liars as the EPO. They don't serve the public: They serve themselves. All public TV in Germany collect over 8 billion euros a year. Imagine what you can do with such an amount of money. And no transparency and a bad governance.

There is a huge lack of acceptance of a new financing model which doesn't rely anymore on the fact of owing a TV set or not, but on having a roof over your head. Every household in Germany has to pay 17,50€ a month, whether you use their service or not. The public TV also dismisses critics are as coming from right wing extremists (Godwin's Law).

All the German tribunals dismissed so far the complaints as ungrounded although there are plenty of independent expert assessments (one coming from the federal minister of finance!!) proving that the new financing model is illegal.

After FIFA and EPO, BR and consorts are to be the next big scandal in Germany.

Therefore, do not expect much understanding for the EPO problems from the German public TV. Germany, Bavaria and Munich have a big profit from the EPO therefore I don't expect Germany to change a situation from which they draw a maximum benefit.


Regarding "EPO and BR", another person wrote to us with similar observations at hand (redacted for privacy/anonymity as well):

I am really bothered by the fact that the most effective blow to EPO in decades, has been silenced. These videos got some attention [...] many of them will only reach error messages or empty pages now.

I just checked the original link on BR and apparently the entire video of 18 minutes is still there, which is good. I had recorded the TV program myself, by the way. Also, the people who made the subtitles must have copies in their hard drives, with and without subtitles.

[...]

Another workaround could be to contact the authors and get their agreement. [...] I am tempted to believe that BR did it under EPO's instigation, but then again they still might have some genuine interest in casting light on the issue.

Finally, if the subtitled (or even some synchronized translations) come out again in a way or another, the last attempt to silence them will actually emphasize the message, it might be another bigger blow against EPO.


Noting again that the videos are accessible online, one person added:

Can you tell me who demanded you to take down the Kontrovers video?

The video is available on the Federal ARD web site, and should theoretically remain available for the next five years.

(The media is actually hosted by BR and served its CDN).

There are quite a few user-uploaded ARD and ZDF videos on Youtube, so there doesn't seem to be a blanket policy. I wonder whether Bayerischer Rundfunk has a different policy.

Regards,

[redacted]


The letter (just to clarify) was sent by BR. In the interests of transparency and clarify, below is a redacted letter.

BR letter

Recent Techrights' Posts

US Government: 6.1% of Site Visitors Use GNU/Linux
GNU/Linux has a considerable share and it is growing
Why the FSF No Longer Recommends Debian, as Explained by Richard Stallman This Month
some weeks ago
Defeating LLM Abuse (State-of-the-Art Plagiarism) in the Area of Linux and GNU, Free Software, BSD, Security and So On
The aim is to get them to stop using LLMs to rip off other people's work
 
Gemini Links 19/10/2025: Scentjacking 101, Slop Hype Boosters, and Steam Next Fest
Links for the day
Slopwatch: The Serial Slopper, LinuxSecurity, and Google News
Let's hope slopfarms die as soon as possible
Links 19/10/2025: Cambodia Scam Centres, Slop Hurting Wikipedia Traffic
Links for the day
As Economies Crumble Free as in Beer Will Matter, Not Just Free as in Freedom/Libre (Libertad)
French regions choosing to embrace Software Freedom
25 Years Ago, an Explanation of How Reducing Free Software to 'Apps' Would Interfere With Freedom Goals
there's nothing unreasonable about it
A List of 63 Known Gemini Clients (Software to Browse Geminispace Content With Gemini Protocol)
Not counting browser plugins for Web browsers
Gemini Links 19/10/2025: "Firma Odin Is Transforming" and Bot Attacks While "AFK"
Links for the day
LLM Slop Could Not Rise to Prominence Without Media Complicity and Artificial Hype
Inane garbage disguised as "journalism"
All the Latest Half Dozen Articles by Mehedi Hasan (UbuntuPIT) Only Admit at the End That He's Using LLM Slop
Disclosure is OK, but the practice of using slop is not
The 'Modern' Web of Fake Security and Easy Censorship of Whole Domains
Each year it gets worse
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, October 18, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, October 18, 2025
The Term "AI" is Not New and What Today's Media Calls "AI" Isn't Even AI
Only the hype was new... and totally artificial
Gemini Links 18/10/2025: "Planetary Rings", Steam, and PSU Replacement
Links for the day
Links 18/10/2025: Russell Vought in Charge, US Government Leans to Russia Again
Links for the day
Credit Where It's Due: LinuxConfig.org Quit Doing LLM Slop, Back to Original and Real Articles
We waited for a while to say this, now it seems conclusive
Of Note: UbuntuPIT Aware of Critics of Slop, Adds Disclosure of Use of LLMs
We appreciate the honesty
Links 18/10/2025: Madagascar's President Flees and ICE Arrests Protest Comedian Robby Roadsteamer
Links for the day
Richard Stallman Near the European Patent Office (EPO) in 3 Days From Now
It'll be a good opportunity for patent examiners to listen, ask questions, and maybe greet him in person
From Scholar to Booster of Slop (and Even Slop in His Own Blog)
We're going to keep an eye on future posts of his
End of Vista 10 Also Good News for the BSDs
There are many news sites that recommend trying GNU/Linux this month
What's Wrong With Liking Parrots or Birds as Pets?
They'd demonise people for speaking about freedom, no matter what they say or do
Digital Sanitation Good Practices
leave behind Microsoftism
10 Days Ago Richard Stallman Gave a Long Interview in French (linuxfr.org)
English translation
Science, Not Fast Food/Junk Food
The commercial exploitation of users won't stop until users exercise full control over their software or - more broadly - their computing (including data)
The Free Software Foundation, Which Has Appointed a 43-Year-Old President, is Looking to Add Another Board Member (or Treasurer)
expect the FSF to add more people
Richard Stallman Confirms Next Week's Talk at Technical University of Munich, We Urge EPO Staff to Attend
That's probably late enough for EPO staff to attend after work
Gemini Links 18/10/2025: Notifications and Geminaut
Links for the day
Many Red Hat People Are Leaving, But It'll Be Framed Publicly as Leaving IBM
Similarly, IBM layoffs (or "RAs" as they're called) include Red Hat layoffs
Expect More Waves of Microsoft Layoffs This Month (at Least Two Rounds Confirmed Already)
From what we can gather, assuming the recent rumours about XBox are true, there will be at least 3 waves of Microsoft layoffs this month alone
Security Issues in Cisco and Jenkins Passed Off as "Linux" Problems
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (FUD) tactics
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, October 17, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, October 17, 2025
[Video] Dr. Richard Stallman at Technické Univerzitě v Liberci
New/via libre-liberec.cz
Slopwatch: LinuxSecurity, Linux Journal (Slashdot Media), UbuntuPIT, and Google News (Noise)
egregious plagiarism
Links 17/10/2025: Better Answers Sought After Air Crashes, "China Fans Patriotic Sentiment as Trade War With U.S. Heats Up"
Links for the day
Security is Desirable, But Not When the Term Security is Misused to Imply Centralisation of "Trust" (Whose?)
'Security' is not an excuse for vendor lock-in
Links 17/10/2025: Fentanylware (CheeTok) Causing Problems, Japanese Government Blasts Slop
Links for the day
The Linux Foundation Seems to Have Turned Linux.com Not Only Into a Spamfarm But Also LLM Slopfarm
it's polluting the Web, even important domains like Linux.com, with spam and LLM slop
Links 17/10/2025: UK’s Largest Breach Penalty and Windows TCO Examples
Links for the day
Go Watch Video About Librephone, Get Microsoft Ads
Very ethical company...
Campaign of Defamation Against the People Who Built NixOS (and Are Now Pushed Out From Their Own Project)
We've already grown familiar with - and resistant to - such tactics
Links 17/10/2025: Nestlé Crisis, Canada Post Versus 'Gig Economy' [sic] and Vista 11 Breaks Itself
Links for the day
Tux Machines Has Helped Separate Opinions/Analysis From News
In September 2023 we decided to split things apart and not repeat links in both sites
Tux Machines Has Improved Navigation of GNU/Linux and BSD News
Some more 'wiring' work
What a World Would Look Like If Everyone Used Free Software Only
Freedom is what matters, not "Open".
The Media Helps Microsoft, Amazon and Others (GAFAM and Beyond) Lie About Mass Layoffs Amid Valuation Bubble
The media, instead of saying that there's an "AI bubble" crashing the economy might instead choose the narrative of "jobs replaced by AI"
Bad Tempered? You Might Have Just Given Away That You're Losing the Argument
Brett Wilson LLP is fully aware that it is being investigated
Richard Stallman (RMS) is a Target of Defamation Campaigns Because of His Views on Software (But Politics Are the Excuse for Defaming Him)
Here in this site we try to refrain from politics, except in Daily Links
End of Vista 10 and Rise of GNU/Linux as Client Side Operating System
It seems certain GNU/Linux will grow in popularity over time
Taking Stock of a Week's Worth of EPO Leaks
We remain committed to exposing EPO corruption as long as it keeps happening
Mathieu Parreaux claims FINMA knew since day one
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Calumny, Libel, Joerg Jaspert & debian-private untouchable cyberbullies
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, October 16, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, October 16, 2025
Techrights Turns 19 in 3 Weeks
coverage of suppressed topics and protecting all sources/whistleblowers
International E-Waste Day Same Day as End of Vista 10
message from Akira Urushibata
The EPO's Central Staff Committee Presents Evidence That Staff Compensation Lowered While the Office Increases Income by Illegally Granting Invalid Patents
These people become millionaires by doing illegal things
Second or Third Wave of Microsoft Mass Layoffs in October 2025, This Time Portugal
Those are just the ones we know about, there may be several more
'Help Net Security' (helpnetsecurity.com) May Have Become a Slopfarm as Well
Zeljka Zorz, Editor-in-Chief at Help Net Security, was reported to us
Gemini Links 17/10/2025: Rant About Network Solutions, Strange Anomaly on Lagrange
Links for the day