The “Copyright Troll” of Photographic Works in the Internet Era: A Study of Countermeasures and Legal Regulation

The Internet has brought great convenience to society, but copyright disputes have become more complex in the Internet era, and the new features brought about by the Internet have led to changes in copyright litigation. Taking copyright in photographic works as an example, the article briefly analyses the characteristics of copyright disputes in photographic works in the Internet era and introduces the “copyright cockroaches” (plaintiffs who seek to gain benefits by filing numerous copyright lawsuits). Through the analysis of overseas “copyright cockroaches” and the current situation of photographic litigation in China’s current internet environment, we can see how the “copyright cockroaches” operate and how they make profits. As a result of the existence of “copyright cockroaches”, not only do victims incur additional costs, but a large amount of judicial resources are also consumed in bulk litigation. In this article, we analyze the dangers of the “copyright cockroach” and provide potential victims with some possible measures to deal with the “copyright cockroach”, as well as suggesting ideas for legal regulation.