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ARTICLE · 16 SEPTEMBER 2025

Crossing The Bridge: Copyright Trolls

Ward and Smith, P.A
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Companies have built business models around identifying and pursuing copyright infringement claims at scale.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Angela P. Doughty
Angela P. Doughty

In today's digital landscape, businesses of all sizes face an increasingly common threat: demand letters from firms specializing in mass copyright enforcement.

Companies have built business models around identifying and pursuing copyright infringement claims at scale. Understanding how these operations work—and how to respond appropriately—can save your business significant time, money, and stress.

Beneath the Bridge: How Trolls Hunt for Their Prey

Copyright trolls, more formally known as copyright enforcement firms, operate by representing photographers, stock photo agencies, and other content creators in pursuing infringement claims. These firms use sophisticated image recognition technology to scan millions of websites, identifying potentially unlicensed uses of their clients' copyrighted materials.

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