copyright troll

English

Noun

copyright troll (plural copyright trolls)

  1. (patent law, derogatory) A person or company that enforces copyrights that it holds for purposes of generating income through strategic litigation, in a manner considered unduly aggressive or opportunistic.
    1. (Internet, torrenting) A copyright holder, or agent working on their behalf, who participates in torrents in order to note down and report those unlawfully downloading their copyrighted content.
      If you join a popular torrent using your own IP address, a copyright troll might make sure you get a sternly-worded threat from your ISP.
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