What types of information can't be protected as trade secrets?

Trade secrets law in California seeks to protect confidential information belonging to a business or organization. However, there are certain types of information that cannot be covered by trade secret protection. This includes information that is already available to the public, such as information published in books, newspapers, magazines, or other sources. Additionally, trade secret protection is not available for information that is independently developed by another party, as that person would not be misappropriating the trade secret. Lastly, trade secret protection is not available for information that has been reverse-engineered or otherwise acquired through lawful means, such as through observation of a product in the public. In other words, the trade secret must be something that is unknown to the public and which the organization has taken reasonable efforts to keep confidential.

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