Your creative mind might be flowing and finally discovered a great idea for a mobile app. You have the skills to get it created and developed. You’ve considered the pricing, it’s upgrades and how it will function but have you considered the legal matters involved with creating a mobile app? This may just be the most important step of all when it comes to creating a mobile app. Here is an overview of some considerations that you should make before going ahead and putting your mobile app out to market.
Business Operation
There 3 ways in which you can operate your business for your mobile app:
Sole Trading: This makes you the main point of contact and person when it comes to operating your business. Any losses or profits the business makes, you also make which means what you make must be declared as personal income.
Partnership: When in partnership, the responsibility and liability of the business are dependent on the partnership agreement. There will be specified percentages incorporated to outline who has the lion share of the business.
Company: You can alternatively act as a limited company. This means that you’re regulated by the companies act and need to abide by the rules incorporated by company’s Article of Association. The biggest benefit of operating this way is that you and the business are separate.
Intellectual Property Rights
Creating a new app is something that was your idea, so you’d want to protect it in any way possible. There are 3 ways in which you can do this:
Trademark: These will be valid for your company name, app and logo
Copyright: This will ensure that your coding and artistic assets are protected and can’t be stolen
Patents: Patents are relevant to new creations. It protects the ideas and ‘the mind’
By protecting your intellectual property, you’re essentially protecting your idea from being stolen and gives you control over your own creations. If something was to go wrong with it, you’ll find it easier to take legal action.
App Ownership
Having the idea is one thing, but getting the app created is another. This where the use of developers and contractors come in handy as they’ll be able to create the app if you don’t know how to. However, this also means that any software they develop to create the app will be protected through their own copyright.
Development agreements can help to transfer all ownership of the software created to you as you’re simply using the developer for their services rather than what they develop. This is why you need to make sure you establish what the contractual agreements will be between you and the contractor you use.
Privacy Agreements
You have to establish a privacy agreement with your mobile app. Users need to be secure and safe when using your app, especially as mobile apps can encourage younger children to use it. Collecting personal information of users without their permission will have you breaching privacy laws.
Where Will The App Be Sold?
In order to sell your mobile app, you need to be able to place it on a mobile app purchasing platform. These platforms will come with terms and conditions to sell your app on their platform so before choosing which one to choose, become familiar with the conditions otherwise you’re at risk of your app being removed from the store.
There have been some serious consequences for companies when it comes to creating mobile apps and not considering the legal implications that come with it. Be sure that you’re aware of the laws surrounding data protection and other relevant laws. If you’re still unsure be sure to get in touch with corporate solicitors Manchester based who can help you through the process before it’s on the market.
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