What term describes the intentional use of someone else's intellectual property without permission?

• A. Patent Infringement
• B. Copyright and Trademark Infringement
• C. Trade Secret Misappropriation
• D. Trademark Infringement

Answer: (B)

Infringement is the act of using someone else’s protected intellectual property without permission. When a copyrighted work—like a book, song, computer code, or artwork—is used without authorization, that’s copyright infringement. When a trademark—such as a brand name or logo—is used in a way that misleads consumers or dilutes the mark, that’s trademark infringement. The combination of both copyright and trademark infringement covers the broad idea of intentionally using someone else’s IP without permission across the two major types of protection. The other options point to specific IP rights: patent infringement involves patented inventions, trade secret misappropriation targets confidential information, and trademark infringement alone doesn’t address copyright issues.