tech-company, mobile-apps, intellectual-property, copyright, beta-testingI would soon like to publish my app for beta testing and release, my only question is how would I prevent a beta tester from stealing my idea or stealing the app with copyright licenses. What licence should I use?
A copyright will only protect the appearance and some content of the application. They apply to artistic expressions, so they cover things like drawings, books, music, and other tangible items like that. In other news, copyrighting your app is great, but if someone changed the colors or shapes, they could get around it.
What you need is probably a patent. Patents are good for processes and inventions, which makes them a bit better suited for really protecting an app’s idea.
Now, you can’t just patent an app. You have to patent specific algorithms or processes in the app. What exactly those may be can be difficult to grasp, and I won’t go trying to give you an example without knowing more about your app (don’t tell me before talking to a patent professional).
It’s worth noting that they can be pricey, with a lifetime (20 years) cost expectancy of around $20,000 (sometimes more, often less). You should also be aware that once you’ve had a public disclosure (if you’ve told anyone about your invention that wasn’t under an NDA, basically, although sometimes the NDA isn’t necessary), if you’re in the United States, you get one year to file a patent application. If you’re anywhere else, you lose that ability immediately.
It would be good to speak with a patent professional (agent or attorney) soon. They often offer relatively cheap or free initial consultations, and can inform you about the patenting process and let you know what you might have that is patentable. You can also ask about doing a provisional application, which is a cheap way to get started, but only lasts one year.
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