In conjunction with World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, TikTok Shop partnered with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) to promote merchant education and create initiatives that reinforce the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection in online marketplaces and foster a safer shopping experience.
Educating Merchants and Brands on IP Protections
As part of its proactive approach to intellectual property rights (IPR) governance and its commitment as a signatory of the IPOPHL e-Commerce Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), TikTok Shop partnered with the IPOPHL to host an IP Bootcamp designed to equip sellers and rights holders with tools to navigate brand protection on TikTok Shop.
The workshop covered best practices for IPR enforcement, guiding sellers on identifying and reporting infringements, leveraging protection tools, and ensuring compliance with platform policies. Participants were also guided through the TikTok Shop IP Protection Center (IPPC), a dedicated web-based portal that enables brand owners to become and remain educated about our IPR policies and enables them to enforce their rights on TikTok Shop. Participants were also engaged in discussions on anti-counterfeiting strategies, Notice and Takedown Procedures, and broader industry challenges.
“At TikTok Shop, we believe that strong intellectual property protection is a key pillar of a trusted online marketplace,” said Simoun Salinas, Public Policy Manager, TikTok Shop. “Proactive stakeholder engagements, such as our Memorandum of Understanding with the IPOPHL and initiatives like IP Bootcamp and participation in the Unreal Campaign, reflect TikTok Shop’s continuous investment in safeguarding authenticity in digital commerce.”
“Strengthening intellectual property protection requires collaboration between platforms, regulatory agencies, and brand owners,” said Atty. Nathaniel S. Arevalo, IPOPHL Deputy Director General for Policy, Legal Affairs and External Relations. “Workshops like the IP Bootcamp held in partnership with TikTok Shop ensure that businesses operating in the digital space have access to the right tools and information to protect their innovations and maintain consumer trust.”
Educating the Youth on Brand Protection
TikTok Shop is also a participant of the International Trademark Association (INTA)’s Unreal Campaign, which aims to educate students about the risks of counterfeit products and the importance of trademarks. As part of the Unreal Campaign, TikTok Shop educated students at Lipa City Colleges (LCC) on how intellectual property rights impact businesses, consumers, and society, and how to recognize trademarks and identify authentic brands in the digital marketplace.
“We laud the efforts of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the IPOPHL, and TikTok Shop for their work in making the subject matter of Intellectual Property more accessible for students and we are proud to be part of this initiative,” said Eric Masupil, Senior High School Principal, LCC Silvercrest School.
Strengthening IPR Protection Across the Platform
Beyond these initiatives, TikTok Shop continues to refine its IPR protection framework by enforcing strict product and content governance policies to prevent counterfeit listings. Robust monitoring systems and seller compliance measures help ensure that only verified, authentic products reach consumers. Between July 2023 and June 2024 globally, the platform removed over 5.2 million products before they could go live and took down nearly 500,000 more for IPR violations. Additionally, TikTok Shop took action against over 294,000 livestreams and 503,000 videos with IPR infringement concerns. (Source: TikTok Shop IPR Report, October 2024)
The TikTok Shop IP Protection Center (IPPC) remains a key tool for brand protection, processing over 188,000 IPR violation reports in the past year. To maintain platform integrity, TikTok Shop has also permanently revoked selling privileges for more than 32,500 creators and influencers due to IPR violations.
In addition to policy enforcement, consumer education remains a key pillar of the platform’s approach under its #TikTokShopSmart campaign. By empowering shoppers with the knowledge to identify counterfeit goods, TikTok Shop fosters a more informed online community.
