03.09.18
Gemini version available ♊︎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)
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. █
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