Protecting theft of ideas
Hi,
I'm about to send some sensitive information to a company in order to attempt to gain employment there.
I'm in a creative field and I fear there's a chance that my concepts could be taken and used without my permission and I never hear from them again - They might feel they only need the ideas, not me.
I've documented these ideas with descriptive text and visuals, now is there anything I can do to 'date' these concepts, undoubtedly proving that I came up with concepts first should the company ever release a product based around these ideas? I don't mean legally trademark or copyright them, I just want proof that they were my ideas so I could use this to make the company look bad (or myself look good) if the worst happened.
How can this be done? Sending a dated e-mail through a certain server? Posting the ideas on a particular site blogger/twitter/facebook (one where the logged date isn't just my computer's time)? I once heard about posting work in a sealed envelope to yourself by registered delivery (and having the seal stamped), but I don't know if that would work.
Any ideas?
Thank you
Depending on what your idea
Depending on what your idea is ( and I am not asking you to tell me) you may already own the copyright by virtue of the Copyright Designs and Patent Act 1988.
In any event the idea belongs to you.
I do not agree that you should post the idea on any internet site. It would then be picked up by the world and be public property.
I do think you should consult a solicitor and tell him the details of your idea. He will then be able to provide cast iron evidence that on a certain date the idea was in your head.
All solicitors are bound to keep the affairs of clients confidential thus preserving your security.
When you write to the prospective employers you should make it clear that the ideas belong to you, that you own the copyright and that they are not authorised to use or publish them without your consent.
Finally if your idea is an invention you should seek a patent.
icox@s-law.co.uk
Thank you for the reply. Is
Thank you for the reply.
Is there a free way of proving that these are my ideas or will seeing a solicitor be the only way?
Thanks again Ian.
If you are not going to seek
If you are not going to seek registration or a patent then your problem is one of corroboration . You will need evidence to back up your statement that the ideas were yours on a certain date.
I do think that a sworn statement by a solicitor would provide you with the best evidence in your circumstances.
Sealed envelopes are Ok but there may be problems proving that they have not been tampered with if it came to a fight.
Evidence by a solicitor would generally be regarded as unimpeachable.
I do not think that this would be a particularly costly exercise.