7.2 again
- 1. Regulations Protection Business and the Public By: Adam Horsley
- 2. Patents A patent is an agreement in which the federal government gives an inventor the sole right for 20 years to make, use, and sell an invention or a process. No one is permitted to copy or use the invention without permission.
- 3. Copyrights A copyright is similar to a patent in that the federal government gives an author the sole right to reproduce, publish, and sell literary or artistic work for the life of the author, typically, plus 70 years. No one may publish or reproduce copyrighted work without the permission of the owner.
- 4. Trademarks A trademark is a distinguishing name, symbol, or special mark placed on a good or service that is legally reserved for the sole use of the owner. Nikes “swoosh” is an example of a trademark.
- 5. Food and Drug Regulations The FDA administers the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and related laws. These laws prohibit the sale of impure, improperly labeled, falsely guaranteed, and unhealthful food, drugs, and cosmetics.
- 6. Nonfood Product Regulations Legislative activity dealing with nonfood products has increased over the years. Laws now require labels on items that danger might exist. For example Tobaco products must have a warning message, and are not to be sold to anyone under 18. When items are found to be dangerous they must be recalled.
- 7. Information regulation Businesses need information. This need has resulted in the heavy use of computers to manage data. Stores check credit card balances, banks check credit ratings, and the government collects income tax data on all tax payers. Unauthorized use of this information could possibly end in identity theft. Information liability is the responsibility for physical or economic injury arising from incorrect data or wrongful use of data. It is a crime to go into a major computer system to view, use, or change data. Cookies are files of information about the user that some websites create and store on the users own compute. These cookies are mostly used for marketing purposes.
- 8. State and Local Regulations The federal government regulates interstate commerce. Interstate commerce is defined as business operations and transactions that cross state lines, such has products that are produced in one state and sold to another. Intrastate commerce is defined as business transacted within a state.. Each state is divided into units that regulate businesses. Most states have laws that promote competition, protect consumers, and protect the environment.
- 9. Licensing State, and local governments have used licensing as a way to limit and control those who plan to enter certain types of businesses. Business regulated not only by the granting g of licenses but also by regular inspections by government officials to see that the company is operated according to the law.
- 10. Public franchising A public franchise is a contract that permits a person or organization to use public property for private profit. Cities often grant public franchises to companies to operate bus lines, or to install electric power or cable for television.
- 11. Building codes, and zoning Building codes may specify such things as the maximum height, minimum square feet of space, and the types of materials that can be use. Zoning regulations specify which land areas may be used for homes, and which areas may be used for businesses. A business must obey all local regulations relating to zoning, and construction.
- 12. The End