79 ACID Whilst intellectual property (IP) infringement issues are on the increase, help is at hand from many simple, no cost safeguards that can be put in place immediately, to support by implementing expert AI monitoring and enforcement techniques Some of the main challenges include impersonation and account takeover. Impersonation, in other words account cloning, copying, copying brand logos, or using brand identities to click on third party websites and promote scams is an issue as is account takeover, the spurious hacking and taking over dormant accounts to promote scams. Both can have serious consequences of identity theft and malware spreading. Social media platforms are also marketplaces so from trademark infringement to creativity, consumers can be put at risk, brands damaged, and revenue and resources drained. We began by examining some of the practical ways in which an action plan can be created. For example, think carefully about your passwords and use 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) a security system that requires two separate, distinct forms of identification to access something. The first factor is a password and the second commonly includes a text with a code sent to your smartphone, or biometrics using your fingerprint, face, or retina. It sounds so simple, but logging out of accounts on shared services is easy to do, as is avoiding free Wi-Fi hotspots, especially in cafes and public spaces which don’t require any authentication before a user gets access to the network. This means that anyone can join the network, and if you haven’t secured your data properly, any users in the same network can access it, including insidious hackers! Don’t forget to recover or shut down dormant accounts and register your IP rights whenever possible. Unregistered rights such as copyright, although they arise automatically, can be lodged on the ACID IP databank, adding to the all-important third-party evidence of ownership. Dealing with these social media issues is debilitating and time consuming so creating an action plan to identify and report misuse of your social media accounts is paramount. Top 10 tips – social media: • Leverage online tools and social media platform brand protection, although they differ, all give you reporting access. • Search via images and words. Think carefully and identify the key words associated with your brand or product • Monitor for ads campaigns through twitter and meta • Consider brand protection, such as registering your trade mark or designs, it’s so much easier to enforce if you have registered IP rights • Report misuse to the platforms and keep it simple. Be persistent, some online social media are more responsive than others. • Recover hacked accounts by following the service provider’s account recovery process. • Reporting platforms are not always set up for these – don’t be discouraged, use the forms available and specify IP rights. • If necessary, consider other solutions such as legal proceedings. ACID members have access to 6 Legal Affiliate law firms for initial free advice. • Don’t ignore the issue; this sends out the wrong message to copyists and for your brand! BP Be aware, regularly monitor, take practical and preventative measures. Take quick action to report fraudulent activity. • Share your experience, such as through the ACID community, to raise awareness and help prevent similar incidents with your story and how you dealt with it. ACID’s brand protection partners, SnapDragon, can be an extension to your brand protection AI monitoring and enforcement techniques on social media platforms and marketplaces. Our members have access not only to all the benefits of being part of the ACID community but can also take advantage of a free brand check and a 15% discount. Our fact sheets provide a simple starting point with easy links for reporting infringement about impersonation, account takeover and IP infringement. And a final shout out! If you haven’t signed ACID’s free IP Charter promoting IP ethics, respect and compliance, sign up now and use the logo to spread the word. Simply visit: https://www.acid.uk.com/become-a-charter-signatory/ Social situations In the second in the series on brand protection, following informed insight, ACID CEO Dids Macdonald delves into the realms of social media issues at a recent webinar with the organisation’s new brand protection partners SnapDragon To find out more, visit www.acid.uk.com
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