IPOPHL Names Facebook as Digital Platform With Top Piracy Complaints

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL)  has reported that in the first half of 2022, Facebook took the spot as the digital platform with the most number of intellectual property-related complaints. Shopee, Instagram, and Lazada were also platforms reported after Facebook.

IPOPHL’s IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) has said that digital platforms continue to be the top sources of IP violations and take over 75% of all reports and complaints.

Facebook topped the list with 65.8% of the total complaints, followed by other websites at 13.2%, Shopee at 9.2%, Instagram at 6.6%, and Lazada at 5.3%.

Despite this, the IPOPHL has reported that IP violations decreased by 48% in the first semester compared to last year’s figures.

IPOPHL has also mentioned that it has apparel such as eyewear, clothes, bags, and shoes are the top counterfeited category taking 65.9% of the reports. After apparel, comes perfume and beauty products at 9.1%, gadgets at 6.8%, home items at 6.8%, and keychains and umbrellas at 4.5%.

For piracy, movies and shows topped the complaints at 44.4%, followed by artworks and paintings at 22.2%, e-Books at22.2%, and software at 11.1%.

“Mechanisms in place are working. For example, e-commerce platforms have become stricter as required by the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between brand owners and e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee,” mentioned IEO Officer-in-Charge  Anne N. Edillon.

“We also recognize that brand-owners have been more knowledgeable of their rights and how they can utilize the complaints mechanisms of platforms,” she adds.

Meanwhile, IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro c. Pascua has said that “This sustained IP enforcement support we have been receiving for the past years is a reflection of the empowerment of our netizens and the concerned public through our IP rights awareness campaigns. More and more brand and IP owners have also been coming forward to voice their concerns about protecting their rights. This is the type of proactive IP rights protection that we hope to foster as we begin to see effects of the rebuilding economy,”

Source: Manila Bulletin