TikTok Shop joined forces with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to mark World Intellectual Property Day by strengthening efforts to protect brands and educate sellers about intellectual property (IP) rights.
The initiative focused on merchant education and improving the tools available to report counterfeit items on TikTok Shop. The collaboration supports the goals of the IPOPHL e-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), of which TikTok Shop is a signatory.
IP Bootcamp guides sellers on brand protection
To help businesses understand their rights, TikTok Shop and IPOPHL organized an IP Bootcamp. The workshop covered ways to identify and report fake products, use the platform’s reporting tools, and follow TikTok Shop’s guidelines. Attendees also learned how to use the TikTok Shop IP Protection Center (IPPC), a portal that lets brand owners enforce their rights directly.
Participants also took part in discussions on how to spot counterfeit goods, how the takedown process works, and the broader challenges sellers face in online marketplaces.
“At TikTok Shop, we believe that strong intellectual property protection is a key pillar of a trusted online marketplace,” said Simoun Salinas, public policy manager, TikTok Shop. “Proactive stakeholder engagements, such as our Memorandum of Understanding with the IPOPHL and initiatives like IP Bootcamp and participation in the Unreal Campaign, reflect TikTok Shop’s continuous investment in safeguarding authenticity in digital commerce.”
Campaign reaches out to students and consumers
“Strengthening intellectual property protection requires collaboration between platforms, regulatory agencies, and brand owners,” said Atty. Nathaniel Arevalo, deputy director general for policy, legal affairs and external relations at IPOPHL. “Workshops like the IP Bootcamp held in partnership with TikTok Shop ensure that businesses operating in the digital space have access to the right tools and information to protect their innovations and maintain consumer trust.”
As part of the International Trademark Association’s Unreal Campaign, TikTok Shop also held learning sessions for students at Lipa City Colleges. The sessions aimed to raise awareness about fake products and how trademarks help consumers identify genuine goods.
“We laud the efforts of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the IPOPHL, and TikTok Shop for their work in making the subject matter of Intellectual Property more accessible for students and we are proud to be part of this initiative,” said Eric Masupil, senior high school principal, LCC Silvercrest School.