Core Licenses (Version 0.1)

The best way to select an Idea Protocol license is to think about how much control you want to keep and what you want the idea’s recipient to be able to do.

Level 1: Maximum Control (No Sharing, No Reuse)

You need the conversation to be strictly protected and for the recipient to respect your complete ownership of the idea.

1. Absolute Secrecy is Required

  • You are sharing a highly sensitive idea (like sharing “tea” or a major trade secret). The recipient should not even discuss it with a spouse or trusted mentor.

  • ✅ Choose: IP-P (Strictly Private)

    Core Rule: The idea is for your eyes only. Do not share or reuse.

2. You Need Private Feedback Only

  • You need expert input (e.g., from a professor or mentor), but you must prevent the idea from being used or shared by them or anyone else.
  • ✅ Choose: IP-FB (Confidential Feedback)

    Core Rule: Discussion with the originator is fine, but external sharing or reuse requires explicit consent.

Level 2: Balanced Collaboration (Conditional Sharing, Controlled Reuse)

You are actively collaborating or sharing the idea in a group, and you need a clear framework for credit and future development.

3. You are Starting a Co-Owned Project

  • You are starting a project with named partners and assume that effort, ownership, and credit will be shared equally unless formally specified otherwise.
  • ✅ Choose: IP-CO (Co-Ownership)

    Core Rule: All named contributors co-own this idea equally.

4. You are in a Temporary Group or Hackathon

  • You are brainstorming with a group (the Source Team) and need ideas to flow freely, but you want a clear mechanism for credit if someone pursues the idea later.
  • ✅ Choose: IP-GB (Group Brainstorm)

    Core Rule: Free discussion during the event. If the idea is developed externally, the developer must notify the Source Team for a good-faith discussion about credit.

Level 3: Maximum Freedom (Open Sharing, Minimal Control)

You want the idea to spread as widely as possible to encourage adoption, remixing, and community building.

5. You Want Wide Use, But Need Credit

  • You want the public to be able to use, remix, or build upon the idea (like open-source code), provided they always acknowledge you as the source.
  • ✅ Choose: IP-ATTRIB (Attribution)

    Core Rule: Use freely, modify, and build upon with proper attribution.

6. You Want the Idea in the Public Domain

  • You want to surrender all rights, claims, and expectations of credit or control, making the idea absolutely free for anyone to use or profit from.
  • ✅ Choose: IP-ZERO (Zero Restriction)

    Core Rule: Absolutely free for any use. No credit required.

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