Border Security and Intellectual Property

Impacts of fraudulent goods and intellectual property on the US economy

The creativity of the mind is protected by legislation through copyright, trademarks, and patents as intellectual property. Among other things, intellectual property contains designs, inventions, symbols, and literal writings. It falls into two categories. Artistic and literal works fall under the first category of replica rights, while industrial property falls under the second and contains, among other things, rights to trademarks and inventions.

Despite having clear legal rights to their works, company owners still frequently deal with imitations, which have a significant negative impact on both the economy and society of the United States. Counterfeit has brought great losses in the United States in terms of lost tax revenues and also in job losses. Since counterfeits are sold via illegal channels, counterfeiters avoid paying taxes thus leading to huge tax loss in the country. Genuine producers are discouraged by counterfeit products thus inventiveness is reduced.

Safety and health concerns that are posed by counterfeit products

In regard to safety and health, counterfeit products may proceed to injury and death due to the harmful chemical composition that is used to manufacture them. For instance, counterfeited food and drugs may result in poisoning, allergic reactions and infections once consumed. Similarly, Counterfeit electronic gadgets may cause accidents or explosions that may lead to death.

How does IP theft cause an existential threat to national security?

Hackers may steal sensitive and important information about individuals, companies or even information on government more so on security in the government. When this happens, the information obtained may be used to tamper with computer networks, therefore, causing threats to the people’s safety and security.

Explain the purpose of and reasoning behind Executive Order 13,133.

The purpose of and reasoning behind Executive order 13,133 is to come up with a group of people referred to as “working group” to address the issue of unlawful internet use. The group was entrusted with the task of preparing reports and recommendations on various issues. Firstly, they were to write a report on to what extent the federal law provided a conducive and enabling environment for the investigation and taking to the court of offenders of law through the internet.

Secondly, they were to write a report on whether technological tools and legal authorities were required in investigations of law offenders through the internet and to what extent they were required. Thirdly they were to write a report on the ability of the tools in existence as well as new ones to empower citizens especially parents and teachers to reduce cases of law offenders through the internet.

Explain the concept of “Smart Borders”

It is a bi-national deal with the purpose of continuously enhancing border security, information sharing and enforcing law between United State and Canada. Smart borders are intended to ease administration and benefit countries sharing a border (Andreas, 2009).

Through smart borders, the two countries are able to implement various policies together. Some of these policies include the efficient exchange of information on immigration matters, issuance of permanent residence cards to immigrants in both countries, advance sharing of information on travelers posing risk and traveling to any of the two countries and also using of compatible databases to help in sharing of information on regular basis.

How has the SMART Port Security, the SAFE Port Act, and the Small Vessel Security Strategy impacted port security?

Through a collection of risk-based implementation, the safe port act, SMART Port security, and the small vessel strategy have helped improve security measures on U.S shores. Homeland security and local law enforcement have partnered with the goal of ensuring U.S maritime security. By team working, the federal, state, international, and local partners haveled to cost saving. These security measures also assisted in fighting terrorism and preventing any form of terrorism in the U.S shores.

Compare and discuss the similarities and differences of the external borders of New Europe to that of the U.S. Mexico border

Both external borders of New Europe and that of the U.S Mexico borders are constantly faced with a lot of illegal immigrants trying to cross the border. Another similarity is that both the U.S and New Europe have come up with smart borders to aid in dealing with illegal immigration and control trade routes (Andreas, 2009).

U.S Mexico border is faced by illegal immigrants that are desperately running away from oppression or violence that face their countries. While in New Europe immigrant cross borders because of religion conflicts. The U.S Mexico borders are well protected by the homeland security in partnership with the National Guard while the New Europe borders are not protected. The two also differ in that the New Europe has an agreement where they closely monitor the borders with other member countries of the EU. By contrast, the US and Mexico lack such a border agreement.

References

Andreas, P. (2009). Border Games: Policing the U.S.-Mexico Divide, Second Edition. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.