By Emily Zibart 

As you are inevitably aware, the Internet has created unique and seemingly endless opportunities for intellectual property infringement.  Social networking and other new media websites create particular dangers for trademark owners, who can wake up one morning to suddenly find themselves the targets of phony Twitter or Facebook accounts.

With victims ranging from international companies such as American Airlines and Exxon Mobil to celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, online impersonation is rampant.  Moreover, the risk of encountering counterfeit goods is no longer restricted to the physical realm.  The sale of counterfeit virtual goods has taken the popular virtual world Second Life by storm. 

For these reasons, any comprehensive brand protection strategy should take into account the impact of new media sites. Check out my more in depth articles about how to protect trademark rights on Facebook and about brand protection on the micro-blogging website Twitter and the virtual world Second Life.