When it comes to intellectual property and your online presence, it’s important to know what intellectual property is and how you can protect it from misuse. To begin, there are three main types of intellectual property and you most likely use all of them on the website you maintain for your business. For instance, patent law protects your products, whether inventions or discoveries, from being produced, used, or sold by others.
Intellectual Property and Artistic Expression
Additionally, copyrights will protect original artistic expression in the form of writing, artwork, or music. Even something as simple as an advertising pamphlet should be copyrighted to protect it against misuse. Finally, trademark protection can guard against others using your business name, symbols, and other designs that you use to distinguish your business. Without trademark protection, your company logo might be used by others or modified, which might adversely affect your business.
Copyrights
Obtaining a copyright is a simple process and relatively cheap, so there’s really no reason to let it go. You can apply for a copyright online via a digital form, which must be accompanied by a $35 fee. Conversely, the paper form, which is to be mailed in, must be accompanied by a $65 fee. You must file a separate copyright for each piece of creative work and you should be aware that the copyright must be renewed every 70 years. You can begin the process by visiting the U.S. Copyright Office website.
Patent
The process for applying for a patent is more involved and, as such, may not be something you try to do on your own. An attorney can help to expedite the process and can help ensure all documents are submitted on time, however, the typical attorney fees for this type of service usually cost $7,000 on average. If you do elect to pursue a patent without a lawyer, you can begin at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.
Trademark
While this is not necessary, filing a trademark will make it easier to limit the use of your company’s name, logo, and symbols. Filing a trademark associates your company as the legal owner of this type of intellectual property and the trademark will be searchable in the agency’s database. The fees vary, ranging from $225 to $400 and this process is also initiated with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Without these protections, any of your intellectual property can be used by anyone without repercussions. This means your company’s name, logo, products, or documents can be used in any manner, even to maliciously harm your business. While it takes some effort and adds expenses to your budget, the value that these safeguards offer far outweighs those costs.
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