Bonum Certa Men Certa

The EPO's PR Department Receives Return on Investment (Puff Pieces) for Paying the Media

Numbers rise in the east (but down in most other places)

Sunrise



Summary: The media 'yield' of the EPO does not tell truths (cherry-picked numbers) and some of that media was literally paid by the EPO, at the expense of applicants and patent holders

THE EPO scandals have been brushed aside for a few days because, as we noted in two previous articles, external PR agencies have taken over things and they "run the show", so to speak. They dominate the media right now. We already wrote a quick rebuttal (which wasn't going to make a difference for media whose business model is amplifying claims in exchange for money or for interests of the media's owners). Take Science|Business for instance; last year it did UPC puff pieces for the EPO [1, 2]. It spread a lot of misinformation which in retrospect looks utterly ridiculous because the UPC isn't happening. Now it claims "record number" for the EPO, as do sites of patent maximalists. But they're not quite counting the right thing. They should present a breakdown showing that the EPO's revenue from patent applications actually declined this past year (the fees were lowered to fake 'growth' by the cancer that is Battistelli). But who cares about facts anyway? They present things only in ways that suit them.

"They should present a breakdown showing that the EPO's revenue from patent applications actually declined this past year..."Korean press (for the most part) focused on LG's corporate accomplishments [1, 2, 3] (more patents than Samsung, as well most among Korean companies).

English-speaking Chinese press (for the most part) focused on Huawei [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] (similar to the above).

"The EPO tries hard to make everyone, everywhere talk about China because that's where most of the 'growth' comes from."Many publishers have been tricked by the EPO into issuing a puff piece. Or maybe it was all willful. Maybe it was even LG and Huawei (through PR agencies) pressing for such coverage if not ghostwriting it. There's a similar article in German, promoted this morning by the EPO. Yesterday the EPO retweeted Handelsblatt, which it had paid only months ago. The payments do eventually pay off, no?

There's focus on China even in British and German sites. The EPO tries hard to make everyone, everywhere talk about China because that's where most of the 'growth' comes from. It's also where patent maximalism comes from (no wonder Battistelli loves to meet/chat with them). Watchtroll carried on with its China fetish yesterday. "China Outpaces U.S. in AI Startup Funding, Aims for AI Dominance," said the headline. This is part of the relatively new propaganda pattern: "China grants many patents so we should too. For lawyers' profit."

Never mind if much of the above is basically just drainage of the pending work, which necessarily means EPO layoffs. The work will have run out soon. The writings have been on the wall for at least a couple of years.

Having hired PR agencies for the UK (specifically), the EPO now sees more puff pieces in the UK, e.g. [1, 2]. Best coverage money can buy?

"Never mind if much of the above is basically just drainage of the pending work, which necessarily means EPO layoffs."Get a load of this from IP Kat! What's new at IP Kat? Quite a week! It repeatedly attacked a study which showed Europe suffering from patent trolls (and both time it was Bristows doing that) and it helps promote software patents in Europe. IP Kat is now the trolls' friend, not just Battistelli's (and UPC's) friend. What a disgrace for a site which once fought for actual workers of the EPO, not for an aggressive tyrant.

A few hours ago at IP Kat Bristows staff called her colleague "Kat friend" and copy-pastes her. Is IP Kat just/merely an apparatus of Bristows or is it an independent blog? They're boosting patent maximalists, AIPPI UK.

For those who wondered what had happened at IP Kat, look at who left the blog over the past year or two. "Merpel" is not a real person but a pseudonym used by or shared by several people (some of whom are no longer at IP Kat). Things have changed.

"Bottom line is, the EPO is running out of 'stock' far too quickly as quality of patents nose-dives. EPO insiders know that."Judging by the reactions to the annual reports, patent law firms in Europe now celebrate the patenting of algorithms at the EPO, e.g. under the guise of (buzz)words like "artificial intelligence". Bristows too must be very pleased.

What's also worth noting is that a couple of hours ago the EPO retweeted its own "media partner", Les Echos, after it had produced its obligatory puff piece that parrots all the spin. Isn't bribed media just lovely? It's just so obedient. This one (Les Echos) even removed things the EPO asked to remove.

Bottom line is, the EPO is running out of 'stock' far too quickly as quality of patents nose-dives. EPO insiders know that.

The EPO gave 'discounts' to applicants, which is what we all along (for months) said would help Battistelli fake growth. But the media won't tell anyone that little factoid, will it?

"It would not shock us if the EPO already used its external surveillance agencies (which had hired former Stasi staff and committed illegal acts inside the EPO) to profile staff."What will EP holders do if/when the EPO collapses (which it already does to a degree)?

It would not shock us if the EPO already used its external surveillance agencies (which had hired former Stasi staff and committed illegal acts inside the EPO) to profile staff. They could, for example, use a list of SUEPO members to decide who to fire. Union busting tends to work like that (there's a lot of news this week about a US lawsuit over it), in essense keeping only 'loyal' workers and those who are powerless because they aren't part of a union.

With censorship levels peaking at the Office perhaps the EPO will not only emphasise and brag about China; maybe it will also emulate Xi's tactics for censoring opposition to removal of term limits. We already know that Battistelli heavily meddled in the appointment of Campinos, who is strongly connected to Battistelli and is French also.

Recent Techrights' Posts

They Don't Tell Us that 'Digitalisation' (Now Sold as "Hey Hi") Just Means Customers Become Unpaid Staff and Are Made Accountable
People are being conditioned to associate technology with something undesirable, at times even unbearable
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Has Layoffs and Microsoft Gaming/Entertainment Division Has an Uncertain Future
it's good to see all those horrible things crashing and burning
 
Gemini Links 22/07/2025: Thinkpad and Pinephone
Links for the day
Links 22/07/2025: "Blog Restart" and Microsoft Clobbered by “ToolShell"
Links for the day
Global Warming and Global GAFAM Energy-Wasting
Burn more money (borrowed, loans), then hope the waste will somehow translate into profit?
No Compliance With the European Patent Convention (EPC) at the European Patent Office (EPO)
It's about preventing competition against this autocracy
Blue-Collar Trolls vs White-Collar Trolls
Examples of white-collar trolls
Apple Vision Pro Failed So Badly That Its Sales Are About 2,000 Times Smaller Than iPhone Sales
What's left for Apple to offer other than hype?
To Millions of People "Year of the Linux Desktop" Was Some Time in the 1990s (Bootable GNU/Linux as a Complete Operating System is Over 33 in Age)
In some sense, "year of the Linux desktop" was 33 years ago
Make No Assumptions (or Demands) About the Screen Resolution Used by Other People
There are usability aspects, aside from accessibility aspects
Why Wayland (and XWayland) Won't Solve the Key Problem It Proclaims to be Tackling (the Same Is True for Rust)
The problem isn't Wayland per se but the false promises and efforts to force everybody to move to it whilst insulting or demonising everyone who won't play along
Diplomatic Immunity Should Not Exist for Anybody
The EPO in its current form gradually 'normalises' the end of European democracy
Brett Wilson LLP Stopped Sending Me Papers When I Showed It had Sent Me Over 5 Kilograms of Legal Papers
A week ago we lodged our third lawsuit
Microsoft Mass Layoffs and Shutdowns Became the New Normal at Microsoft
Microsoft mass layoffs became a topic of everyday media coverage since May
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, July 21, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, July 21, 2025
FSF "Raised Almost $139,000 During This Summer Campaign"
"Thank you for making a stand against dystopia!"
Gemini Links 22/07/2025: VPS Exploited and Fear of View
Links for the day
LLM Bots vs Techrights
Slows things down a bit
New Publication Sheds Lights on Abuse of Workers at the European Patent Office (EPO)
Put in simple terms, they're killing the Office, harming remaining staff, try to hire rubber-stampers
Links 21/07/2025: Hardware, Health, and Imperialism
Links for the day
Gemini Links 21/07/2025: "When Buying Isn't Owning" and "CMS Special Edition"
Links for the day
Links 21/07/2025: Indie Web and Toxic Politics
Links for the day
[Meme] Microsoft Lawyers Throwing Stones in Glass Houses
threatened me with bankruptcy
Google "AI Overview" is Not AI and Not Overview
do not be misled; what Google does isn't smart, it's just ripping off the sites it already crawled for as long as 27 years
Making the Case to Dump Microsoft and GAFAM for National and Digital Sovereignty
"Sovereignty is difficult"
The Tactics of the Opposition (Microsoft Lunduke): Associate With K00ks, Throw in Vaccines to Muddy the Water
Who stands to gain from this?
Europe's Second-Largest Institution (EPO) and Largest Patent Monopoly Office Needs More Transparency, Not Less Transparency
In the EPO, what good are elections when one candidate literally bribes all the voters?
How Not to Report News About Microsoft
This pattern of misreporting is so widespread that it's hard to believe it's not intentional
Computer Science is Under Attack, They Want Everyone to be a Consumer
If people can no longer acquire Computer Science education and real Computer Science experience, they will not know how to control their own digital destiny or emancipate the very same universities that now control the syllabus and instead of teaching Computer Science encourage the outsourcing of systems
The Best Tools Are the Simplest Tools
There's a hidden message here about the merits of sticking with X
Ofcom Online Safety Group Speaks of Protecting Women Online, Will Brett Wilson LLP Ever Listen?
They've essentially became like the Taliban's "burka police"
Social Control Media Relies on Advertisers, So It'll Always Be Hostile Towards Free Software
Sales, sales, sales
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, July 20, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, July 20, 2025
Fragmentation of Data
Life is too short to "hoard" data
In Defence of "Spinning Rust"
Just because something is "old" (or older) doesn't mean it ought to become extinct
Using Free Software to Prepare Legal Documents
LibreOffice is openly complaining about OOXML as an obstacle
Tech and Technology Are Not the Same Anymore
"Are you into tech, Sir?"
Our Articles About SLAPPs Receive Recognition and Interest
This week we shall continue writing about the 3 lawsuits we filed
Are You Served?
For many people, advocacy of Free software and GPL enforcement are assumed to be happening
Conspiracy or grooming? Alex Jurado, Voice of Reason compared to Outreachy
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 20/07/2025: Security Breaches and Former 'Open' 'AI' Engineer on Hype and Culture Issues
Links for the day
Links 20/07/2025: Fending Off BRICS and US Government Attacks Its Own Media (Like China and Russia)
Links for the day
Framed by social control media: Alex Belfield, Voice of Reason
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 20/07/2025: Summertime and OCC25 Wrap-up
Links for the day
Jamie Zawinski Complained About Wayland, Then Decided to Give It a Go, Now Complains Again About Wayland
Ask IBM (Red Hat) why it's worth throwing so much away just for Wayland fanaticism
Slopwatch: Planet Ubuntu, LinuxSecurity, and More
former "Linux" blogs which basically became slopfarms
Russia Set to Ban Facebook?
If WhatsApp is made to "leave", that means Facebook or "Meta".
Links 20/07/2025: More GAFAM Lawsuits, Layoffs, and SLAPPs
Links for the day
Taking Stock of a Good and Productive Week
We shall now be taking a break, unpacking the new hard drive (8 TB), and making backups of everything
Nice Recovery (From Actual Fire) by PCLinuxOS, New Version of PCLinuxOS Released, Now Top of DistoWatch
PCLinuxOS is a community-driven distro
More Microsoft Shutdowns That Mostly Slipped Under the Radar
Remember what happened to books 'sold' by Microsoft?
Microsoft Lunduke Still Fighting Cancel Culture With... Cancel Culture
There will be no "winners" in such 'debates'
The History of Daily Links and Politics
"I support Wayland, but I also support abortion..."
Ageism in Tech
Your protocol is "old"...
Microsoft is at 0% "Market Share" in Most Areas
Depending on the taxonomy chosen, there may be dozens of categories other than desktops and laptops
"The moment MSFT stock fails to start tumbling, that’s the beginning of another corporate giant going under."
There are far more layoffs at Microsoft than at Intel, but you would not get this impression based on Wall Street media
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, July 19, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, July 19, 2025