Ideas Powered (www.ideaspowered.eu) is a website supported by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), acting through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights. The site brings together contributions from young designers, composers, entrepreneurs and artists from all across the EU to show how IP underpins and supports innovation and creativity. Ideas Powered website also includes a video competition which invites young people to submit their views on how intellectual property matters to them. According to a study carried out by OHIM in 2013 into how EU citizens (including young people) perceive intellectual property, eight out of ten 15-24 year olds in the EU believe that buying counterfeit products has a negative economic effect, and two thirds agree that illegal downloading is a threat to the economy and jobs. “This website – commented the president of OHIM, AntĂłnio Campinos – follows on from our 2013 study, and builds on its results. It aims to provide a fresh outlook on IP: it features contributions from young Europeans who use IP to support their businesses, their livelihoods, their hobbies and their interests. The website is a two way portal; we’ll be seeking the views of young people on all aspects of IP in their lives and inviting their contributions too”. The Ideas Powered website is supported by a Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/IdeasPowered) and a Twitter (https://twitter.com/IdeasPowered) account.
