Safer Internet Day occurs every year in February to promote making the internet a safer place for children. It was created to start a conversation about using the internet respectfully, responsibly, critically and creatively.
Organised by the joint InSafe/INHOPE network, and with support from the European commission, Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over 100 countries, and aims to teach young people, and professionals who work with children about how to safely navigate an increasingly online world.
Making the internet a safer place is something we are passionate about at SnapDragon. Protecting consumers and brands from online scams and copied/counterfeited products is what we do day in, day out.
Online fraudsters selling copycat versions of products sold by legitimate brands pose real safety issues. Apart from diverting revenue and tarnishing reputations, knock-off products have the potential to cause some real harm to consumers. SnapDragon recently conducted a survey of SME businesses whose products had been copied and sold online, and the results were shocking. 28% of consumers surveyed had purchased a counterfeit product without their knowledge, and 35% didn’t know that counterfeits are often linked to organised crime. See more results of our survey here.
To many, counterfeits are fake designer handbags or clothing, seen on holiday – whether on a street corner or market stall. But… the industry goes much further. A knock-off designer bag may not pose too much threat to the average consumer, but counterfeit toys could cause real physical harm to a child. The British Toy and Hobby Association’s (BTHA) recent survey revealed that 40% of all counterfeited toys are unsafe for a child to play with.
Because copies are, literally, just ripping brands off … they are often cheaply manufactured in less than lovely working conditions, with less than perfect ingredients. They rarely – if ever – meet the stringent quality requirements of genuine products – and this is where a key issue lies. Fake alcohol, can blind, and even kill in extreme cases, or a counterfeit bike frame could break and fail at the most inopportune of moments – causing serious injury.
No industry is safe from being ripped-off online.
Often, consumers unknowingly buy sub-par knock-off products advertised on 3rd party e-commerce websites, social media or on websites disguised as the brand they are copying. To help consumers who may be anxious about this, SnapDragon’s BogusBuster, site may be useful …it’s a platform where advice and guidance can be sought on dodgy or suspect sites. BogusBuster also reports on all the latest scams that are circulating, to keep consumers informed and safe online, and in real life.
If you are a brand owner and are interested in learning more about how we can protect your brand, Simply send us a link to your website for a free demo.
We search ecommerce, social media, and domains using our proprietary software, Swoop, for copycat products. Our multi-national team of brand protection specialists then report and take down the listings that are threatening your brand. Or, if you would rather do that part yourself, our self-service solution may be more up your street. We aim to make brand protection accessible and affordable for businesses of all sizes.
Happy Safer Internet day! Stay safe out there.
