Internet, Electronic Commerce And Intellectual Property

The profound use of the Internet has affected the legal world in so far as the protection of intellectual property (IP) asset is concerned. IP has assumed similar importance in electronic commerce as it has in the offline commercial sphere, albeit with different aspects to be addressed.

The development of the World Wide Web in the early 90s has led to the evolution of the Internet from a mere technological infrastructure to a network linking people and ultimately to the forerunner of information and the digital age, which now plays a major role in the global economy. What initially started as a scientific and academic network has unleashed an era of electronic commerce with its easy access and multifunctional character. The increase in .com enterprises has led to the inception of new commercial models and business dynamics, whereby organisations are developing ways to exploit the Internet as a marketing and commercial tool. E-commerce has opened up avenues to