Intellectual property refers to creative works and inventions. It is divided into industrial property like patents, trademarks, and designs, and copyright for original creative works. While copyright makes it difficult to control sharing on the internet, patents give owners rights to prevent others from making or selling an invention without permission. Domain names can function as trademarks when they meet certain criteria, and "cybersquatting" aims to profit from a brand's goodwill. Protecting intellectual property creates competitive advantages and value through marketing, branding, sales, and licensing, but some argue it can also harm public interests.

1. Intellectual Property on the Web Nga Nguyen

2. What is intellectual property? According to WIPO, intellectual property refers to “products of the mind: inventions, literary, artistic works, any symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce”. Divided into two categories: Industrial property (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source ) Copyright

3. Copyright Works protected by copyright: original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works sound recordings, films, broadcasts and cable programmes typographical arrangements of published editions

5. Copyright More difficult to control on the Internet The Internet allows people to upload and download, copy and share, on a massive scale i.e. free download (software, music…) Easier to copy (anonymous)

6. Patent A right granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful Gives the owner the right to prevent others from making, using, importing or selling the invention without permission. A monopoly right

7. Example: Apple owns the patent for iPhone

8. Patent A patent only protects an innovator from others producing the same product, but it does not protect him from others producing better products under new patents.

9. Domain Name A domain name functions as a trade mark (only when it satisfies the requirements of Trade Mark Act 1994) Some companies have purchased domain names related to competitor's names "harrods.com", "harrods.co.uk“, "harr0ds.com" or “harrods1.com” Cybersquatting - using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else Attempt to sell it to the brand owner or wait the brand owner’s offer for a transfer

10. The importance of protecting intellectual property Competitive advantages Form an essential part of marketing or branding Create value for business Sales, profits (also from licensing) For example, IBM generated $1.5billion a year in royalties. Innovation Offer customers something new and different

11. However Public interest is harmed by ever expansive monopolies in the form of copyright extensions, software patents and business method patents. The Right to Education threatened by the Copyright Pharmaceutical patents prevent generic alternatives to enter the market until the patents expire, and thus maintains high prices for medication.