The Moral Cost of Counterfeiting
Recent studies have shown that people who were told they were wearing “fake” designer sunglasses were significantly more likely to cheat on tests than ones told they were wearing "real" ones. Nearly 60% percent of those wearing "counterfeit" glasses cheated, while only 20% of those wearing "real" glasses did.
We have long heard about the monetary costs of counterfeiting, the cost in terms of the health and safety of both humans and pets, the cost to homeland security. But what about the moral costs of counterfeiting? What does this say about our society when a person's use of counterfeit merchandise may influence their moral behavior?
Another argument addresses the morality of counterfeiting from a different perspective, contending that what lies behind a seemingly innocent transaction with a street vendor could be a vast criminal enterprise. The same groups which smuggle goods are also involved in prostitution, drug dealing and money laundering. Broadening the discussion even more, one can address a wider set of public health and safety issues. Knock-off goods, which are impossible to regulate, are also potentially life threatening. The goal is to "make the problem more real to consumers," Talking about medicine that can kill is a very different conversation than talking about the latest DVD or music disc.
At the same time as this is being addressed in the public forum, business groups have responded by pursuing a number of new anti-counterfeiting strategies. One approach involves technology. Applied DNA Sciences, for example, markets botanical DNA technology that cannot be compromised and that offers forensic authentication. The technology is already being used by cash-in-transit and textiles to reduce fraud and is being tested in the event ticketing and other industry verticals. In fighting counterfeiting, perhaps it is better to call your scientists and engineers than your lawyers and lobbyists, many of whom wear designer eye sunglasses…
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