Under what circumstances is information reverse-engineered not considered misappropriation?

The assertion that information reverse-engineered is not considered misappropriation is correct when it pertains to the circumstance where the information is not patented. In the realm of intellectual property law, specifically regarding trade secrets, patents play a crucial role. If the information in question is not protected by a patent, it may not meet the legal thresholds required to establish misappropriation.

Trade secrets are generally protected as long as reasonable measures are taken to keep the information confidential, and if reverse-engineering can be performed legally, it does not necessarily constitute misappropriation if that information is not patented. Without a patent, the protection that comes from patent law does not apply, allowing reverse-engineering to occur without implications of misappropriation.

While other options mention scenarios that could affect the legality of reverse-engineering—such as the information being public or shared voluntarily—these do not impact the fundamental understanding of misappropriation related to patented versus non-patented information.