I wanted to know how legal it is to literally clone another app. For example, if I havev an online platform that helps people compare different cameras and its already up and running - what stops someone from scraping all my data and making the exact same website, but just executing it better?
Do I have any legal grounds for this?
Right now I'm looking for people to test my platform, but im worried it could end up in wrong hands before i get big...
Microsoft created Hotmail and Live. Yahoo Mail. Then Gmail. While not exactly the same, they are all email systems. Nothing illegal about it.
Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Slack all have a whole bunch of clones, and while similar, there is usually the developers own twist added on to it.
There is nothing stopping anyone from scraping your data, though you can certainly make it harder for them by adding your website into the data. Doesn't hurt to add in, "Originally appeared on..." or "Original source from..."
It might not stop someone from stealing your exact data, but it will make them have to do some extra work to remove that. Also, if you have a Terms of Service, you might want to state that the information can be used, but cannot be copied. This still won't technically stop people from using your idea or scraping data, but it will make them think twice about it.
Unless you can patent it, in which case it certainly would be yours legally. Pretty sure there are ways to do that.
I mean, if you think about it, none of your data on Facebook or Google or even the Internet is actually yours. I'm not sure you even own your own website. Though a web hosting company would probably not assume the responsibilities of taking over and are just renting you the space and the computer to present your information. (Though certainly up for discussion -- I mean, a landlord does not own your stuff, even if you don't pay your rent)
But you don't technically own that digital data. Lets take an example: I run a website, Confessions of the Professions ( http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com ) and I have hundreds of contributors every year that submit their articles to the website. Every author OWNS and claims credit for their articles. But once it is published, what is done with it is no longer in the authors hands. If this were the case, than I would not have permission to place ads on articles. I do not own their article, per se, but I do own the digital data. So in my terms, once the article is published, it can never be removed. That is what I "own". However, I cannot claim the article is ever mine because I truly did not write it. I believe this would constitute plagiarism. I have had authors contact me for removal, and the only thing I can do is remove the fact that they are an author or any identifying information, so after that, the author becomes anonymous and no one is associated with that article.
I do allow other websites to copy any page on my website, but also in my terms, they MUST give permission to the original author AND state the original source that they found it from on the newly copied page. While not 100%, I have seen other websites copy some of the infographics from my website, AND they usually will put "Original Source" or something like that underneath, a link back to my website. I believe it is good for SEO practices and favored in the eyes of Google.
So I wouldn't fret about people copying your data, BUT you should have somewhere that if they are to copy it, it is plausible to give credit where it is due. In doing this, your website has the potential to become even more popular and acquire more traffic.