Alibaba aims to “streamline” takedown with launch of IP Joint Force System

Weeks after being suspended from the International Anti-counterfeiting Coalition after a group of members objected to its admission to a newly formed ‘general membership’ category, Alibaba Group has launched a new system that promises to improve the takedown of infringing listings.

The IP Joint Force System was launched at the company’s inaugural Rights Holders Collaboration Summit, an event attended by more than 100 Chinese and international brands and trade associations, and designed to facilitate discussion on current and future IP enforcement strategies. Talking to attendees, Alibaba’s chief platform governance officer, Jessie Zheng, highlighted the need for better cooperation to fight the scourge of fakes. “In the face of such a complex problem, we can’t be complaining about each other or criticising each other,” Zheng urged. “In this battle, it’s you and me – it can’t be you doing the work and me watching, or me doing the work and you talking. Our only choice is to join forces.”

The new system was immediately available for select brands following the event. Each participating brand is assigned a dedicated online portal and an Alibaba account manager to obtain information from rights holders on suspect counterfeit listings that Alibaba has not previously been able to authenticate itself. Once a listing is confirmed as infringing, it is immediately removed without further correspondence.