Folklore, as an expression of cultural heritage, represents the collective memory, beliefs, practices, and artistic expressions of a community. Its preservation is crucial not only for maintaining cultural identity but also for promoting social cohesion, education, and intergenerational continuity. However, the ethical and legal dimensions of folklore preservation present multiple challenges that can complicate efforts to safeguard this intangible cultural heritage. Among these challenges, four major problems stand out: issues of intellectual property rights, cultural appropriation, consent and community ownership, and the tension between commercialization and authenticity. Intellectual property rights pose one of the most significant legal challenges in folklore preservation. Folklore, by its very nature, often belongs to entire communities rather than individual creators. This communal ownership conflicts with conventional intellectual property frameworks, which are typically designed to recognize individual authorship. When traditional knowledge, stories, songs, or designs are documented, recorded, or published, questions arise about who legally owns these creations and who has the authority to grant permissions for their use. In many cases, traditional communities do not have formal mechanisms to claim ownership under national or international copyright laws. Consequently, external entities such as researchers, publishers, or corporations may exploit these materials without proper acknowledgment or compensation, effectively depriving the originating communities of their cultural rights. This problem is compounded by the fact that folklore often exists in oral forms, making it difficult to establish authorship or chronological precedence, further weakening legal protections. Cultural appropriation is another major ethical issue in the preservation of folklore. This occurs when elements of a community’s cultural heritage are used by outsiders in ways that distort, commodify, or misrepresent the original context. While documentation and dissemination of folklore can help preserve it, careless or exploitative usage can result in the erosion of cultural meaning and disrespect for the originating community. For example, traditional dances, costumes, or myths may be adopted by commercial or