Are there any laws related to the protection of trade secrets online?

Yes, there are laws related to the protection of trade secrets online in Washington State. The Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act (WUTSA) is the primary law that protects trade secrets from improper disclosure and unauthorized use. Under the WUTSA, a trade secret is defined as any information, including a formula, pattern, program, device, method, process, financial data, or compilation, that is not generally known or readily ascertainable, has economic value from not being generally known, and is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy. The WUTSA makes it illegal for a person to intentionally disclose, use or misappropriate a trade secret without authorization or authority from the trade secret’s owner. A person’s unauthorized access to a trade secret may also be considered misappropriation under the Act. In addition to the WUTSA, there are state and federal laws related to the protection of trade secrets online. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) is a federal law that makes it a crime to access a protected computer system without authorization or to exceed authorized access. The statutes associated with the CFAA may apply to trade secrets stored on computer systems. Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Washington State has criminalized the unauthorized access or disclosure of trade secrets. Furthermore, Washington’s Information Services Act prohibits the unauthorized access to computer systems and the copying or taking of any data from those systems. This law is particularly applicable to trade secrets stored on the internet. Thus, there are a variety of laws in Washington State that protect trade secrets from improper disclosure and unauthorized use online.

Are there any laws related to the protection of trade secrets online?

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