Michigan State University expert to testify before congress, calling for more protection from counterfeit products sold online for consumers and brands

May 26, 2021

Press Release

EAST LANSING, MI   — The MSU A-CAPP Center’s Assistant Director of Education and Outreach, Kari Kammel, was called upon by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet to testify May 27, 2021 with regard to the SHOP SAFE Act of 2021 . Watch the 2pm hearing live here.

Kammel will inform the subcommittee about why counterfeiting is an important topic and its impact on consumers and brands, the current state of the law, and how research can help inform the bill to strengthen it in order to protect brands and consumers.

The SHOP SAFE Act of 2021 addresses the sale of counterfeits by third party sellers on e-commerce platforms. Kammel’s knowledge and research in the area of e-commerce proposed legislation makes her an ideal candidate to inform lawmakers on these topics. She recently published two law journal articles with co-authors Jay Kennedy, Assistant Director, former A-CAPP legal researchers Minelli Manoukian and Daniel Cermak, and John Zacharia, member of the BPP editorial board on issues regarding legislative options and liability applications which have captured the committee’s attention.

“Kari’s testimony provides the opportunity for a member of A-CAPP to share her expertise to inform the development of important legislation intended to provide protections to brand owners and consumers,” A-CAPP Director Jeff Rojek said.

Kammel will provide a written testimony, present a 5 minute oral testimony and will receive a series of questions alongside the other experts set to testify. 

Read Zacharia & Kammel’s publication on proposed e-commerce legislation here.

Read Kammel, Kennedy, Cermak and Manoukian’s publication here.  

About the A-CAPP Center at Michigan State University: The A-CAPP Center is an independent, interdisciplinary evidence-based hub whose activities focus on research, education and outreach designed to assist in protecting brands and products of all industries worldwide. The A-CAPP Center falls under the College of Social Science. Learn more at a-capp.msu.edu .

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Contacts:

Sara Heeg
heegsar1@msu.edu 

Becky Jensen
jensenr7@msu.edu
989-277-8912