Putting a Gag order on subscribers

[Matt Maiden]

I would like to know if anyone has had an opt-in that included A confidentiality / non-disclosure agreement and what kind of results you have had with the conversions and how effective it was at keeping your secrets.

Thanks

Matt

[Jon Alexander]

I don't think that would be a very nice thing to do, unless you were going to reveal 'trade secrets' to your subscribers that you didn't want them to spread around...

[Matt Maiden]

Jon, that's exactly what I'm talking about. If I have secrets, real techniques for getting links that no one else is using, teaching, or talking about is it reasonable for me to ask that you too keep my secrets.

You would be able to implement but not discuss or disclose the techniques.

Of course anyone can be asked not to say anything but can I actually have you "cyber sign" a legal agreement?

It's not that different than designing a WP Theme and letting you use it for a personal site but not be able to sell it. And if I catch you selling it there are legal consequences.

So this is "using" a secret technique for personal use only.

If someone sees your site and figures it out on their own that's one thing but I should be able to hold you responsible for breaching the agreement if you are blatantly showing people how to do this here in the forum.

[artwebster]

Hi, Matthew,

It might be reasonable for you to ask but, look around the internet marketing grab fest, do you really think it will make any difference?

[ExRat]

Hi Matt,

They'll just sign the agreement under their name, and then release it under a pen name, or get a friend to do so.

If you want to tell me though, I'll keep it a secret and only use it for my own personal gain That's a fact...

[NewbiesDiary]

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi Matt,

They'll just sign the agreement under their name, and then release it under a pen name, or get a friend to do so.

If you want to tell me though, I'll keep it a secret and only use it for my own personal gain That's a fact...

hehe - tell me & I'll just stick in a swipe file on my hard drive and never look at it again and certainly not even for personal gain - dinks Mate!

[digitalnomad]

Interesting concept, but I see from the comments it will not easily be accomplished. The Internets is still the wild west for sure. You probably would have to create a relationship, as in a membership site to sell the concept. Then lay out the scenario and the goods.

Even then it would be pretty hard to keep in force, unless the confidential info is really that unique.

[Thamisgith]

I doubt if any non-disclosure agreement would be enforceable - unless you could prove that the concept/idea under consideration could only be discovered via your site/programme. If it's just a clever idea that not a lot of people know about (yet) how do you enforce - or justify for that matter - any notion of ownership?

On the other hand, I have seen some marketers ask for promises not to disclose or pass onthe information provided. Personally, I think that this is doen to increase perceived value, and it probaly works in this respect, rather than to protect any super secret technique.

On the other hand, if it is something genuinely unique then you could apply for a patent.

[radhika]

Instead of signing up the papers or digital signature from people whom you call subscribers, you can do like this:

Once they pay for your course they will be part of your coaching sessions under your company. Means don't call them as subscribers. Call them as 'Assistants' who will learn from your company. So this change in position and making them part of your company makes the agreement a little serious.

But still there are always loop holes from which your secrets will leak out. What I am saying is make the agreement a little bit more legal and people take it serious.

.

[jasonl70]

I worked in IT as a conultant for quite a while, and NDA's were part of my daily business. I've had a lawyer explain it all to me numerous times - it's handy having a lawyer in the family

Generally speaking, if you are willing to teach it to others outside of your business/company (when teaching it is a business endeavor on it's own), then you won't be able to make a 'trade secret' arguement. If you were teaching it only to your employees and/or business partners so they could do business with/for you, and made it clear that it was a trade secret not to released to anyone, then you may be able make a trade secret arguement.

But, NDA related law specificly states that is not for preventing competition.

Non-competes, non-disclosures - they are for preventing unfair competition.

The bulk of the agreements out there are not enforcable, and are generally just a scare tactic. In the IM world, they are used more for marketing I think ("this stuff is so secret, so powerfull, you have to sign a trade secret contract before I can show it to you!").

**disclaimer** Check with your own lawyer, of course..

[Matt Maiden]

Originally Posted by ExRat

If you want to tell me though, I'll keep it a secret and only use it for my own personal gain That's a fact...

The funny thing about that Roger is I actually believe you will.
So you're in the running.

I do agree with most of the replies here that it would be (a) Too hard to enforce and (b) May not even be legally enforceable without being too overly complicated and even then it would be moot after the cat was out of the bag.

After thinking about this a little more I realize that it is probably not a good idea to expect them to stay secrets very long.

I'm still thinking about it though.

Thank you all for your input. Kind of confirmed some feelings about it.

Matt