Using Care in Disclosures on the Internet

Much of the work of a successful E-Commerce business involves marketing products and services on the Internet, often through a company web site or in correspondence carried on by executives and employees. In the process of this marketing activity, it is important to protect your E-Commerce business’ IP. Inadvertent disclosures can harm or even destroy your IP rights. This is because under many national laws patent protection may not be granted if an invention has been publicly disclosed even for a short period of time before filing the patent application. Also, public disclosure of trade secrets destroys their protection as IP. 

Before disclosing your IP on the Internet (see that IP Audit you created under Checklist Item #II), check with your legal advisor to make sure that you are not inadvertently damaging an IP asset.

It is equally as important to avoid disclosures of third party IP. Be careful in posting the inventions or works of other companies on your web site; as noted above in Items # III and VI)

For More Information:

On IP disclosures, see

• USPTO Web site (http://www.uspto.gov)