“Web Content Piracy of an Internet Business”

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

According to Wikipedia, “intellectual property rights (IPR) are a bundle of exclusive rights over creations of the mind, both artistic and commercial. Copyright laws protect creative works such as books, movies, music, paintings, photographs, and software and gives the copyright holder exclusive right to control reproduction or adaptation of such works”.

Patents protect inventions and products. While different countries have different laws protecting IPR, the basic principle is that making use of someone else’s work product, including material that someone has created for their own web site, is illegal UNLESS the creator has given written permission for its use by others. Because of its membership in the World Trade Organization, Nepal may have undertaken obligations to protect the intellectual property rights of its citizens and should pass legislation to do so.

Web Picture and Content Piracy:

Recently, I had to face the challenge of web content piracy of my company web site. I hired a contract employee to maintain a mailing list of buyers in January, 2008. After 6 months, we found out that he provided our buyer mailing list, product pictures and web content to another rival company in Nepal. The rival company hosted the exact pictures and product description on their web site. They also wrote to our buyers that they would sell the same items at a cheaper price than my online price. Thanks to those loyal customers who informed me about this web piracy.

How to Protect Ourselves from Web Content Piracy:

Web content piracy is a crime. To minimize this risk, always hire a professional person. Make a legal agreement with your contract employees. If there is piracy, inform the media about it. Tell other companies about this unethical behavior that is also illegal in many countries.

Also inform the local Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau or other trade or business associations who want to maintain honest and ethical business practices and will discipline members who violate them.

This will definitely help to discourage other companies from engaging in web piracy, because they will loose their good reputation. Dishonest employees will fear legal action, since they have signed an agreement with their employer.
About Me & My Company:
Namaste !
I am Eksha Limbu the founder of Eksha Creations. I am working as a self-taught jewelry designer and producer from Nepal. I am also a “Platinum Power Seller” on ebay. Eksha Creations (EC) is registered in Virginia (USA) and Kathmandu (Nepal). Our company works with the artisan families from Tibet and Nepal who make beautiful beads and jewelry. These families are highly skilled and have been making handmade jewelry pieces for many generations. Their skills, however, are disappearing due to lack of opportunity. Ours is a small endeavor to give them that opportunity, so they can carry on and perfect their craft by having EC distribute these beautiful handmade art works to jewelry designers around the world and jewelry lovers. EC deals in products that meet high quality standards in accordance with socially responsible practices, and for which the artisans receive fair wages.

URL: http://www.ekshacreations.com/
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