Nowadays with the increasing place and importance of technology in our lives, the world is trying to keep up with this order. One of the latest examples of this is the system named WIPO PROOF created by the World Intellectual Property Organization. In our digitalized life especially where innovations and creativity enabled with technology, this system provides assurance and convenience to everyone by being worldwide and low cost. 

WHAT IS WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION?

World Intellectual Property Organization, namely WIPO, is a self-financing organization established in 1967 within the United Nations. The general purpose of this organization is to work for the effective protection intellectual property rights worldwide. In addition, it provides financial and scientific support to developing countries on intellectual property.   The greatest mission of WIPO is to strengthen respect for intellectual property. 

WIPO discuss intellectual property in six different categories. These are; copy rights, patents, trademark, industrial designs, geographical indications and trade secrets. Today, WIPO has organized a total of 24 agreements, has conducted academic studies on intellectual property, not only institutional but also worked for individual rights and continues to do so.  

“WIPO PROOF” SYSTEM AND ITS OPERATION 

WIPO PROOF is the name of the new system, which has been put into use by World Intellectual Property Organization as of June 2020, and with this system the protection of the digital or digitally generated intellectual property right is ensured. By the virtue of WIPO PROOF, a time- and date-stamped digital fingerprint of any file can be created. Thanks to this time- and date-stamped fingerprint, the existence of that file at a specific point in time is proven.  This system is open to everyone and anyone who wishes can enter the site and upload the digital file to the system by purchasing a coin for a certain fee. The system puts a date- and time- stamp on the file and creates a personalized digital fingerprint. This fingerprint continues to be valid for 5 years. 

Although this system does not provide a registration as in Turkish law, it provides that the file in question is in the property of the relevant person at a specific time which can be used as legal evidence. Contrary to what we are used to, this system provides the protection of various documents other than copyright registration. You can upload all kinds of documents such as research notes, laboratory results, digitally signed documents to WIPO PROFF and prove that they are your property at a specific time. 

CONCLUSION 

While services such as WIPO PROFF are available, the advantage of WIPO PROFF is that this system is provided by an organization with in United Nations.  Thus, it becomes valid in 193 countries. Together with WIPO PROOF, it provides proof that there has been a chronological priority, whether the intellectual property rights are register or not.  In particular, inventions that are subject to long-term research and similar intellectual property rights can thus be taken under protection gradually. This system procures an important step in resolving potential conflicts and keeping up with the digitalizing world.