Final answer:
To gain trade secret protection, the owner must take reasonable steps to keep the confidential information confidential.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to gain trade secret protection, the owner must take reasonable steps to keep the confidential information confidential. This means implementing measures to ensure that the information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals and is protected from being taken by competitors.
Sharing the information openly, disclosing it to competitors, or registering it with the government are not necessary for trade secret protection. The key requirement is maintaining confidentiality through appropriate means.
For example, a company may use non-disclosure agreements, restrict access to confidential information, encrypt digital files, and implement security measures to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the trade secret.