Be Mindful of IP

Have you heard of the word "intellectual property" or IP? This is what my younger sister asked me when she saw me resting in our garden full of Hibiscus plants. Those flowers are one of my Mom's favorite flowers because of its different colors. My younger sister sat beside me and asked what I know about this term. Intellectual property right or IP right refers to a legal entitlement which sometimes attaches to the expressed form of an idea, or to some other intangible subject matter. That's according to an online dictionary that we consulted earlier. According to encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com, this term reflects the idea that this subject matter is the product of the mind or the intellect, and that IP rights may be protected at law in the same way as any other form of property.

I also explained to her that laws associated with intellectual property are territorial which means that the registration or enforcement of IP rights must be pursued separately in each jurisdiction of interest. We also found out that these laws are increasingly harmonized probably because of the effects of international treaties such as the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, while other treaties may facilitate registration in more than one jurisdiction at a time. I also informed my sister that this term is very important. I told her some stories of people who were sent to jail because of stealing the idea of others. So, I remind her to be extra careful.