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Argh! Pirates Pillage Ecommerce |
| By James Tolles james.tolles@e-online-classes.com e-Online Classes Columnist Ecommerce has occasionally seen some rough seas for business. Pirates are plundering information and making bundles on counterfeit merchandise that hurt both consumers and companies. An online or university degree can help give you the knowledge to protect your ecommerce company. Ahoy, MateyOne can never know where a pirate may be lurking, but the Office of the The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has reported that intellectual property rights (IPR) are in the greatest trouble in China. Their 2005 report rated China as "critical," and the report criticized China for not taking more effective action in prosecuting ecommerce criminals. The Ukraine was also graded poorly and marked as needing "to take effective action" against "optical media piracy" and to enact laws to better protect IPR.The BootyPirates steal or counterfeit whatever they can, and according to the USTR, this translates to between $200 and $250 billion in losses to U.S. industries alone. Internet pirates can't wait to get their swashbuckling hands on optical media products such as CDs, video compact discs (VCDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), and CD-ROMs. Product counterfeiting of high-end designer goods is also a growing concern among ecommerce businesses. Counterfeited products include soap, shampoo, razors, batteries, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, golf clubs, automobile parts, motorcycles, and medicines to name a few.Battle on the High Seas of EcommerceThe USTR is engaging the pirates with a global battle to make ecommerce safe for lawful business. The Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) is aimed at stopping pirates' plundering, and it creates a unified front in the U.S. amongst the federal government, private sector, and trade partners. The unified group works to advocate the international adoption of a number of laws and guidelines to stop identity theft, piracy, and other ecommerce crimes from happening to business on a global level.Ye Land LubbersGetting an online degree or attending a traditional university degree in ecommerce will help you run a company that is savvy about piracy. There is no doubt that the Internet continues to be a treasure trove of information and ecommerce business. With a degree in hand and help from better international ecommerce laws, it will be time to set sail and voyage out onto the Internet to find your treasure.Sources:http://www.usatoday.comhttp://www.ustr.gov About the AuthorJames Tolles is the Managing Editor for HQ Publications. He helped write and edit the successful application for Sparks, NV that earned the city honors as a 2004 All-America City Finalist-a title held by only 30 cities in the nation. He is also a freelance writer. He attended a four year liberal arts college and holds two B.A. degrees, one in Creative Writing and the other in History. |
