Dorsey Advocates IP Abolition While Holding Patents

BySophia Johannson

Jack Dorsey’s call to “delete all IP law” has been met with both enthusiastic support and sharp criticism, with some pointing to an apparent contradiction: the Block co-founder maintains an extensive patent portfolio while advocating for the elimination of intellectual property protections. The three-word bombshell, quickly endorsed by Elon Musk, has ignited a firestorm of debate across social media about innovation, creator rights, and corporate responsibility.

Story Protocol co-founder Jason Zhao responded to Dorsey’s statement by simply posting a screenshot of Block’s patent holdings, highlighting what many see as a glaring inconsistency in the tech billionaire’s position. This pointed critique has raised questions about whether tech leaders are advocating for policies that would benefit their companies while potentially harming independent creators, according to Crypto Briefing.

As the debate rages across social media platforms, observers note that this is not the first time tech executives have been accused of promoting rules for others that they themselves do not follow.

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Words vs. Actions: The Patent Paradox

Dorsey’s Block (formerly Square) holds numerous patents related to payment processing and financial technology, creating what critics describe as a disconnect between his public stance and his company’s business practices. This apparent contradiction wasn’t lost on many participants in the debate.

Similarly, while Musk expressed support for Dorsey’s position and has previously stated that patents are “for the weak,” his companies maintain extensive patent portfolios across industries. Tesla notably released its patents in 2014 and committed not to initiate patent lawsuits against those using its technology “in good faith,” but continues to file for new patents regularly.

This tension between ideals and business practices raises questions about whether these tech leaders truly believe IP laws should be abolished, or if they’re selectively advocating for changes that would benefit their specific business models while maintaining protections for their own innovations.

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Creator Concerns: The Fight for Compensation

Among the strongest critics of Dorsey’s position was Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski, who framed the debate as an attempt by Big Tech to gain unrestricted access to creator content for AI training. “Jack and big tech want to push this garbage so they can get all your data and content for free. They hate IP law because they can’t steal it for AI,” he argued.

New York Times bestselling author Carol Roth took a principled stance against Dorsey’s proposal: “Property rights are natural rights, and intellectual property is as much property as something physical. Nobody else should be able to copy my books and profit from them.”

These voices represent a growing concern among content creators about how their work is used in the digital economy, particularly as AI systems increasingly rely on vast datasets that often include copyrighted materials. Without IP protections, many creators fear they would lose control over their work and the ability to earn a living from it.

The Innovation Equation: Freedom vs. Incentives

Supporters of Dorsey’s position argue that current intellectual property regimes stifle rather than encourage innovation. Bitcoin maximalist Max Keiser described IP law as “effectively a global lobotomy of our collective unconscious,” suggesting that ideas inherently belong to everyone.

Another supporter with the handle @tyrannideris predicted dramatic benefits from abolishing IP: “The moment you do, innovation will explode like never before. Culture will accelerate. Technology will evolve in real time.”

This perspective aligns with arguments from some economists and legal scholars who suggest that patent protections, in particular, have expanded beyond their original purpose of encouraging innovation and now often serve to protect monopolistic positions and prevent competition.

The Small Inventor Dilemma

Manna Bitcoin Wallet founder Adam Simecka offered one of the more nuanced perspectives in the debate: “Patents allow people in this country with good ideas that don’t have a lot of money to be able to invest in their invention with the hope of making a profit before a massive corporation can steal it.”

This highlights a key tension in the IP debate: while large corporations might benefit from weaker IP protection by freely adopting others’ innovations, smaller inventors often rely on patents to secure investment and protect their ideas from being appropriated by better-resourced competitors.

“IP law is abused by the corporations. Getting rid of it might not be the answer,” Simecka continued, suggesting that reform rather than abolition might better serve the interests of individual creators and small businesses.

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The Digital Age Challenge

Beyond the immediate controversy, Dorsey’s statement highlights the broader challenge of adapting intellectual property concepts developed in the physical world to the digital economy. Traditional copyright and patent frameworks struggle with fundamental aspects of digital creation, including the ease of perfect reproduction, global distribution, and collaborative innovation.

Stephan Livera pointed to this tension in his response: “It’s worth understanding there’s a genuine free market case against IP. IP is actually a state granted monopoly that impinges on what I believe should be genuine individual or business freedom to build, to innovate.”

As generative AI continues to develop and consume ever-larger datasets, questions about intellectual property, attribution, and compensation are likely to grow more urgent. The passionate responses to Dorsey’s statement reflect the high stakes involved as society reconsiders how to balance rewarding creation with enabling innovation.

Whether his provocative statement was intended as a serious policy proposal or simply to stimulate discussion, Dorsey has succeeded in highlighting one of the most complex and consequential debates shaping the future of the digital economy—even as his own company’s practices raise questions about where he truly stands.

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