The problem here is that the patent wars are caused by state grants of patent rights in the first place. The state causes the problem, then someone with a dim understanding of statism calls for the state to solve the problem. The solution is for the state to stop granting and enforcing patents in the first place.
(See also Amazon.com’s One-Click Patent Application Allowed in Canada, noting Bezos’s call for shorter software patent terms.)
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos calls for governments to end patent wars
Exclusive: Government action could be needed to bring an end to a litany of patent lawsuits in the consumer technology market, such as those between Apple and Samsung, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has told Metro.
So-called patent wars have raged in the smartphone and tablet era, with Apple and Samsung most consistently at loggerheads over their products.
The tech giants have had mixed results in the courtroom, however, as Apple secured a significant legal victory in the US but Samsung won comparative cases in South Korea and Japan, with many more lawsuits not yet heard.
Mr Bezos told Metro that innovation and society itself was threatened by the patent lawsuit culture.
Calling for new legislation to be introduced by national governments, he said: ‘Patents are supposed to encourage innovation and we’re starting to be in a world where they might start to stifle innovation.
‘Governments may need to look at the patent system and see if those laws need to be modified because I don’t think some of these battles are healthy for society.’
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