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Sometimes an inventor or business decides
that the best way to protect their IP is
to just keep it a secret
from everyone else.
These are called trade secrets,
and they include things like formulas,
processes, designs,
methods of manufacturing products,
and compilations of information.
Some famous examples of trade secrets
include the recipe for Coca-Cola,
the 11-spice and herb blend used
by Kentucky Fried Chicken,
and Google's search algorithm.
It's important for companies to keep their
information safe so other people
and companies can't use it to create
a similar product and sell it themselves.
Protecting trade secrets is
a do-it-yourself process.
One doesn't file for formal protection
for trade secrets like they
would for patents or copyrights.
Owners of trade secrets simply
keep the information secret.
There are legal protections for trade
secrets, such as a non-disclosure
agreement for anyone
with knowledge of the information.
Usually, only a few people know all
the information that makes up a trade
secret,
and even though trade secrets aren't
legally registered as intellectual
property, stealing or publishing
them is still illegal.
Federal labs can't have trade secrets
on inventions and processes
they've developed.
The government equivalent
is classified information.
But when labs partner with businesses
and individuals, they may need to learn
about those partners' IP to help.
T2 laws have
been put in place that allow federal labs
to keep quiet about partners' trade
secrets so they can work together
and companies can be sure their
information is safe throughout
the partnering process.
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