Taking Your Tradition-based Business Online
In an increasingly interconnected world, businesses around the world are taking their goods and services online. This shift to online markets, including those available through the various social media platforms, offers new opportunities for Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs to actively promote and expand their businesses, reaching their customers in a more direct and convenient manner. With increased access, however, come new intellectual property (IP) challenges. While the benefits of doing business online can be great, Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs must determine early on how they will develop appropriate intellectual property strategies to safeguard their and their communities’ interests in the digital economy.
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Protecting your tradition-based goods and services with IP
Explore our top tips for Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of intellectual property.
Here are 6 tips to help Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs take their businesses online
1. Register your business name, logo and domain name (internet address) as trademarks
2. Use copyright or industrial designs to protect the design and other creative content on your online business platform
3. Do not disclose culturally sensitive, secret, sacred or commercially valuable information online
4. Raise awareness on the uniqueness and authenticity of your products and services
5. Be vigilant and proactive in protecting your online content
6. Take advantage of available resources for Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs
Learn more
For more information on how the intellectual property system can support Indigenous and local community entrepreneurs, check out the publications below:
- Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions
- Protect and Promote Your Culture: A Practical Guide to Intellectual Property for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
- Intellectual Property and Folk, Arts and Cultural Festivals: Practical Guide
- Background Brief 5: Intellectual Property and Traditional Handicrafts