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Trademark First, an organization’s IP may be misappropriated and you need to protect against this.
A trademark is a unique For example, it is relatively easy to copy web content and republish on another site, and this
word or phrase that
distinguishes your practice is not unknown amongst smaller businesses. Reputation management services can
company. The mark can be used to assess how an organization’s content, logos and trademarks are being used on
be registered as plain or
designed text, artwork or other web sites. Tools such as Copyscape (www.copyscape.com) can be used to identify
a combination. In theory, infringement of content where it is ‘scraped’ off other sites using ‘screenscrapers’.
colours, smells and Secondly, an organization may misappropriate content inadvertently. Some employees
sounds can also be
trademarks. may infringe copyright if they are not aware of the law. Additionally, some methods of
designing transactional web sites have been patented. For example, Amazon has patented its
‘One-click’ purchasing option, which is why you do not see this labelling and process on
other sites.

7 Advertising on the Internet
Advertising standards that are enforced by independent agencies such as the UK’s Advertis-
ing Standards Authority Code also apply in the Internet environment (although they are
traditionally less strongly policed, leading to more ‘edgy’ creative executions online which
are intended to have a viral effect).
The Out-Law site produced by lawyers Pinsent Mason gives more information on online
advertising law www.out-law.com/page-5604)

8 Data protection
Data protection has been referred to in depth in the previous section.

Activity 4.3 Achieving legal compliance

Purpose
To examine approaches by which organizations can monitor changes to the law.

Question
Identify different options for companies to monitor and comply with emerging e-commerce
law. You should consider options for different sizes of company.
Answers to activities can be found at www.pearsoned.co.uk/chaffey

Environmental and green issues related to Internet usage

The future state of our planet is a widely held social concern that is closely related to economic
issues. Although technology is generally seen as detrimental to the environment, think about
long- and short-haul flights, and TVs and electronic gadgets burning fuel when left on
standby; there are some arguments that e-commerce and digital communications can have
environment benefits. These benefits are also often beneficial to companies in that they can
make cost savings while positioning themselves as environmentally concerned – see Box 4.6.