Senate Finance Leaders Seek Information on Counterfeit Issues in E-Commerce

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are seeking information from several slices of the e-commerce industry on counterfeit goods, the lawmakers said in a news release. Hatch and Wyden wrote to undisclosed rights holder trade associations, online retailers, shipping companies and payment processors in May 30 letters with questions about preventing counterfeit goods in the U.S. “As part of our ongoing work, we write today to request information from your company on the types of activities you participate in, facilitate, or otherwise have knowledge of to help us better inform American consumers of the dangers of counterfeit goods as well as to curtail the illegal sale of counterfeits through e-commerce sites,” Hatch and Wyden wrote. “Through this endeavor, we hope to learn more about your organization’s experience with counterfeit goods and to collect information on ways in which organizations can better protect consumers from such goods in the future. The information we receive will be used to help inform a public report.”