What are the laws governing the sale of counterfeit goods online?
In Washington, the sale of counterfeit goods online is illegal. This includes any item that was illegally copied without the consent of the original rights owner. This can include counterfeited items such as handbags, watches, electronics, clothing, footwear, software, and more. The Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act is one of the main laws that govern the sale of counterfeit goods online. The Act prohibits the disclosure, acquisition, and use of a “trade secret”. A trade secret is any confidential information that provides a business with a competitive advantage. This includes the sale of counterfeit goods. The Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act is another law that prohibits the sale of counterfeit goods online. The Act makes it illegal for someone to misrepresent or omit a material fact about a product or service. This includes selling counterfeit items on the internet that are misrepresented as being genuine. The Washington Consumer Protection Act makes it illegal to engage in unfair or deceptive business practices. This includes purposely or knowingly selling counterfeit goods online with the intention of deceiving the consumer. Finally, Washington law also makes it illegal to engage in copyright infringement. It is illegal to copy or distribute someone else’s creative work, such as books, music, films, software, and more, without their permission. This includes the sale of counterfeit goods online that are based on these types of works.
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