Protecting intellectual property rights online is a continuing struggle, with brand owners and content creators battling against increasingly sophisticated offenders.

Alibaba, the once much-criticised e-commerce site, has developed and refined its model for IP protection in recent years, to the extent that several luxury brands are now listing products on the site.

Project Zero expands

Now Amazon has announced the expansion of its anti-counterfeiting tool, Project Zero – launched in the US in early 2019 – to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

The aim of Project Zero is for Amazon and brands to collaborate in driving counterfeits to zero in the markets where it's applied. It has three main components:

Automated protections – which continuously scan Amazon stores and proactively remove suspected counterfeits, based on key data provided by brand owners.

Self-service counterfeit removal – allowing brand owners to remove suspected counterfeits without the need for intervention or review by Amazon.

Product serialisation – brands apply unique codes to every unit they manufacture for an enrolled product. Amazon then scans the codes to confirm the authenticity of every one of those products purchased in Amazon's stores.

Whilst Project Zero is currently invite-only, it's reassuring to see Amazon taking such a proactive step to removing counterfeits from its sites.

Rebuilding brands' confidence

In the long-term, Project Zero may placate luxury brands that have been reluctant to allow the sale of their products on Amazon, due to the profusion of counterfeit goods. Time will tell.

Amazon's announcement comes when online marketplaces and video sharing platforms are under increasing scrutiny from brand owners and content producers for taking a hands-off approach to tackling IP rights abuse. They've also been criticised by politicians for their perceived lack of willingness to resolve to online failings.

YouTube steps up pressure

YouTube has recently introduced its own new initiative, with a host of fresh rules to counter copyright infringement abuse by third parties seeking to extort content creators.

The most important change will require copyright complaints to be filed manually, complete with timestamps highlighting the part of the video clip they are reporting. This allows the uploader to edit the problematic section, avoiding the entire video being removed.

Positive steps, but not comprehensive

Whilst it's good to see key marketplaces and online platforms making significant advances to address IP infringement, it also highlights the complexities of protecting IP online.

These measures are best used as part of a comprehensive, strategic approach to brand protection online. If you would like to find out more about how we can put this in place for you, please get in touch.

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