Name: Chilton John Duat

Subject: GEC 7 - Science, Technology and Society

Offer Number: 45791

Assignment No.14

1. In 100 words or more, explain the value of intellectual property especially in the case of media
content or products.

The value of the intellectual property is important because the creator has ownership of his/her product, and
said creator has the controlling rights to the usage of that product. It protects the entrepreneur or the creator
from theft or competitor. Without it, it may lead to loss of reputation and lower profits or might go out of
business.  It reduces competition, customers can be made to pay more so profits can be increased massively,
while risks are drastically lowered too. 

In the social media world, the acts of “content sharing” and “collaborating” are quite high-volume. This is how
one gains an audience, expands their market, their followers, or interacts with their “community.” With the
proliferation of digital distribution and duplication made easier through social media, an inherent problem has
risen – the theft of intellectual property. Intellectual property will enable the owner to recognize elemental
resources that may require immediate protection such as Innovations that are yet to be licensed or registered,
High-performance trademarks and sub-brands, and trade manuals and business guides that are integral to
your operation. With the social media platforms making it easier to access endless displays of content – from
images to ideas – and creating this digital cultural norm of “sharing,” it is quite easy to capture someone else’s
idea and make it your own. The line between ownership of original material, duplication, and distribution has
been blurred. To be protected from copyright abuse, there are specific rules (Facebook copyrights Policy,
Instagram copyrights policy, etc.), guidelines, and laws one must abide by. This is where the importance of
intellectual property comes into play. The agreement made is between the creator and the platform when
signing up, it gives away a license or legal permission to that platform to use your product or material. With
social media’s widespread nature of sharing, it is oftentimes hard for intellectual property holders to catch up
on any infringements or violations. However, when they do, this law is a tool that can be used to stop sharing
or halt any violation of copyright, trademark, or patent. The protection of intellectual property affords the holder
the right to file complaints, takedown content, seek compensation, file lawsuits, and so much more.