Employing Data for Combat Against Counterfeit Products in Online Shopping
The Center for Data Innovation hosted a video webinar on March 17, 2021, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the pressing issue of improving trust and safety in e-commerce. The webinar, which took place from 3:00-4:00 PM CET / 10:00-11:00 AM EDT, aimed to find solutions by encouraging better data-sharing partnerships between the public and private sector.
Sujai Shivakumar, Associate Director at the Center for Data Innovation, moderated the discussion. The webinar was not just limited to policymakers, but also included representatives from the private sector, such as Nicolas Waldmann, VP of Trust and Safety & Compliance at Walmart, Kasie Brill from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Bill Ross, Senior Advisor at the National IPR Center, and Mary Beth Westmoreland, VP of Brand Protection at Amazon.
The webinar explored potential steps policymakers can take to support an anti-counterfeiting data-sharing partnership between the public and private sector. One such step is the proposed legislative solution embodied in the bipartisan Moore-Schneider bill. This bill authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share detailed shipment information with carriers, intellectual property rights holders, and e-commerce platforms, enabling the identification of counterfeit shipment patterns.
Other legislative measures discussed include establishing regulatory frameworks to address data privacy concerns, introducing legislation similar to the SHOP SAFE Act, encouraging collaboration with state authorities, and supporting voluntary guidelines and information sharing initiatives. These measures aim to create a more integrated data-sharing environment, improving the ability of public agencies and private sector actors to detect and prevent counterfeiting more effectively.
Counterfeiters continue to evade detection, putting the health and safety of Americans at risk, hurting the economic interests of U.S. businesses, and undermining consumer trust. The webinar discussed the role of data and AI in countering the growing threat from global counterfeiting networks, as well as the role of various stakeholders, including the private sector, in addressing this issue.
The webinar emphasized the importance of shared data, legal accountability for platforms, and cross-sector collaboration in combating counterfeiting. It was attended by representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National IPR Center, Walmart, Amazon, and the Center for Data Innovation, highlighting the multi-pronged approach needed to tackle this complex issue.
While existing legislative proposals are being considered to address the problem of counterfeiting, it's unclear how they would specifically do so. The discussions in the webinar provide valuable insights into the potential strategies and collaborations that could help combat this growing threat more effectively.
- The webinar, moderated by Sujai Shivakumar, aimed to find solutions for counterfeiting in e-commerce by encouraging data-sharing partnerships between the public and private sector, including representatives from AI-driven businesses like Walmart, Amazon, and policy-focused entities like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
- One potential solution discussed was the Moore-Schneider bill, a proposed legislative solution that, if enacted, would authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share detailed shipment information with carriers, rights holders, and e-commerce platforms, aiding in the identification of counterfeit shipment patterns.
- In addition to the Moore-Schneider bill, other legislative measures considered include establishing regulatory frameworks to address data privacy concerns, introducing legislation similar to the SHOP SAFE Act, supporting voluntary guidelines, and fostering collaboration with state authorities in an effort to create a more integrated data-sharing environment.
- As counterfeiters continue to evade detection, the webinar highlighted the significance of shared data, legal accountability for platforms, and cross-sector collaboration in countering the increased threat from global counterfeiting networks, with the potential for technology like AI to play a role in the defence against these networks.
