E-Business and Iterlectual Property

Sabrina Meryl

The Web or Net has opened up the gates to E-Business, or the ability to conduct business on the net. In doing so this has opened up the gates for many companies to grow. This has allowed companies to have their items available worldwide by simply accessing the web. This has lead in the expansion in these types of sectors although these types of growth do come with problems. With these types of growth these companies are faced with the possibility of vital assets being at a possible safety risk. Legislation is constantly attempting to track these types of risks, to defend online businesses, and is also creating new ideas to prevent these safety risks from occurring. Copyrights, trademarks, and patents are perfect for safety of specific assets. However, some organizations continue to be accountable for making sure that their organization is not violating any individuals' legal rights. Organizations must ensure that while they are protecting and defending their legal rights, they must be certain that they do no breach the legal rights of others.

LEGAL ISSUES

The article entitled (Why Does E-Business Need IP?) provided information about trademark problems in regard to domains, which is also known as internet site addresses. Individuals also known as "cyber squatters" enters a websites name which is much like the copyrighted or well-known organization, or the exact name. The cyber squatter uses these names illegally for their own personal gain (making money). This article also discussed how trademarks and patents protect your e-business from competition and it also suggests how to prevent your business from encroaching on the intellectual property of others (Frommer, Colletti & Lieb). Cyber squatters are people on the internet that are enrolling websites addresses or names which are the same, or are just like the names of a well-known organization. This is an unlawful act of selling the websites names with the only intent of personal gain. Often time these squatters can purchase prior to that name being copyrighted. Name means everything when entering a business into E-Business.

When companies are created the name of that company is recorded under law. When legal documents are submitted, partnership, creating a company, or limited liability company also known as (LLC), the websites names or name to that of the business name must be bought as well. Many individuals did not believe that the Net would be a successful place to conduct business, so many companies refused to enroll a website name for their businesses. Many companies' names were sold due tom cyber-theft. E-commerce came about businesses paid large amount of monies in other to have their own trademarked name. As a result the United States Congress passed the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act which is also known as the AACPA (Frommer, Colletti