Infringers

Durov added that the platform had updated its terms of service and privacy policy to make clear that it would share infringers' details with authorities -- including internet IP addresses and phone numbers -- "in response to valid legal requests".

The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s state planner, along with 37 other government departments, released a joint action plan to deal with serial IP infringers, who could face a raft of tough punishments and restrictions if blacklisted.

For another example, if a patent is shown to be invalid in a case against one accused infringer, that same patent is invalid against all other accused infringers—invalidity need not be re-proved.

In the meantime, injunctions were issued against the infringers, forcing their payments of the royalties to be placed in escrow.

Software infringers generally exploit the international nature of the copyright issue to avoid law enforcement in specific countries.

The slow process of using detectives to investigate patent infringements, and of obtaining injunctions against the infringers, was outpaced by the dynamic rise of new companies in diverse locations.