U.S. Chamber’s Global IP Center Launches ‘Rogue Site of the Week’ Project
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) today launched its “Rogue Site of the Week” project designed to highlight the harm across the American economy from online purveyors of counterfeit goods and pirated content. These rogue sites, dedicated to the theft of intellectual property (IP), deceive consumers into purchasing shoddy and frequently dangerous products ranging from household wares and prescriptions, to movies and clothing.
“If a store in a shopping mall was selling illicit and unsafe products, it would be shut down. There’s no reason to let it keep happening on the Internet,” said Steve Tepp, GIPC’s senior director for Internet Counterfeiting and Piracy. “Consumers are being duped into buying illicit products online, which are not only threatening their safety, but are undermining private-sector innovation and robbing America of much-needed tax dollars and jobs.”
Each week, the GIPC will feature a “Rogue Site of the Week” complete with a screenshot of the site. The project is intended to be a resource for legislators, policymakers, and the public to better understand what the rogue sites are and how they impact our economy and well-being. The “Rogue Site of the Week” can be accessed online at www.fightonlinetheft.com.
The rogue site being featured this week is www.nfljerseysupply.net, which was reborn with a slightly altered domain name after being seized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of Operation in Our Sites. This site has numerous indications of legitimacy, such as a live support feature and usage of trademarked NFL and team logos. The fact sheet is available here.
Almost a quarter of all Internet traffic is in violation of intellectual property laws. As a result of this burgeoning black market of illicit goods, G-20 economies have suffered a loss of nearly 2.5 million jobs and $135 billion in revenues and taxes. Studies have found that a handful of these rogue sites generated 146 million visits per day, representing more than 53 billion visits per year.
“If left unchecked, rogue sites can have a permanent detrimental effect on our economy,” added Tepp. “The United States cannot and should not stand by while foreign criminals steal the best of our creativity and innovation. Congress must take this opportunity to stand up for American consumers, businesses, and jobs by supporting the introduction and enactment of rogue sites legislation.”
The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) rights as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
