We have to fight them! It would take all of a week to create a website devoted entirely to libraries of "block toy compatible 3D objects you can print at home."

I have a 3d printer. I can build this website, most of us here could probably.

Any lawyers in the crowd? Who is with me!?

Lego has no authority to do this. Thingiverse et al is just acquiescing because they have better things to do than lawyer up to Lego.

We need to Barbara Streisand Lego onto the right side of history.

It's even worse than patent trolling! Their patents have expired!

I'm a bit confused how they can do that, as hasn't their patent for the bricks etc. expired?

Were these designs the same as existing Lego ones?

And didn't Lego themselves copy Kiddicraft bricks.

Anyone can threaten a lawsuit.

Even if the threat's not credible, my understanding is the threatener can often force the victim to spend tens or hundreds of thousands in legal fees, not to mention inconveniences like having to spend hundreds of hours talking to lawyers, showing up and testifying in a faraway courtroom, etc.

The answer is simple - by lying, or by not understanding what rights they have. There's no repercussions, so why not?

This is ludicrous. The only people that are going to be printing 3d legos are the ones that already love lego and just want to do some custom things. I want to get a 3d printer specifically to make some custom stuff for my kids, and that will in turn just have us buying more normal legos.