infringing

When accused of infringing, one has to respond, and that response costs both significant time and significant money.

The infringing company would have to pay in full, which discourages them from doing it in the first place.

The non-infringing uses are just a fig leaf--something you point to trying to cover up the obvious.

Unless they have found some way to invoke fair use (educational purposes, etc.), the clone you mention is also infringing.

They don't know who is responsible for uploading content or the ability to investigate if it's infringing on someones copyright.

I've been discouraged from looking at software patents by lawyers because apparently knowledge that you're infringing can be bad news bears even if the patent is frivolous.

That is why it's Google and not Googol, neologism's are better because it's far easier to establish uses that are infringing.

But so far, GE has given me little reason to believe they'll come after me for infringing on these kinds of patents.

They're legally obligated to take down only content that is infringing their rights.

That is, say Apple's infringing on my patent; will Samsung buy the patent from me for a fair price and then sue Apple?

There is only a dispute if you make, use or sell infringing products.

There are certainly mp3s on websites that are not infringing on any copyright.

That doesn't mean that anyone can make "copycat" Mickey Mouse toys, infringing on Disney's trademark.

In the above mentioned link to Agar.io clone the copyright infringing part is the "agar.io," not the actual reproduction of the game.

If insane shit like patents on rounded app icons and the iTunes "music note" logo gets regularly brought to court and settled[1], then copying the entire L&F of a site is definitely infringing.

Given the vast majority of patents are a) highly specific and b) unlikely to be infringed anyway, it's unlikely any of your "abstract" thoughts turn into infringing products.

Infringing a patent requires something far closer to the original than an iPod to a Nomad or iLife to Office.