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I have an idea for a change/addition to Facebook that I think would be huge. It also requires very little new site development to accommodate. It actually requires Facebook, and I don't think an application would be very successful. I am wondering if there is a way to protect the idea. I have a presentation drafted with some marketing information and the required additions to the site. All it would need is a simple program development that wouldn't require more than a couple days by a good programmer and some touch-up work. When pitching it to the company, is there a way to assure that it couldn't simply take my idea and adopt it without paying me for it?Generally, ideas cannot be protected. While confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements can take you some of the way, they are not always airtight.
Also, depending on how such an agreement is worded, a little change here and there to your idea could change it from "your idea" to "their idea" -- and cut you out of the loop.
You’ll want to speak to an intellectual property attorney who understand software deals to get good sense of your options and the strategy that can best protect you.
