Q: I’d like to know if a company can go after you for essentially doing the same thing that they do?
For example, could Airbnb sue me if I created my own property rental app?
A:
The answer depends on a few things. First, if you copy a product, you can sometimes get sued for breach of Patent or Copyright. There are several companies offering similar services, so it is unlikely they could sue you for offering the same or similar services. But if you reverse engineer their software and use the same code in your software, they might successfully sue you.
Separate from all this is your relationship with the company. Are you a former employee or did you do business with them other than as a renter? You might have signed agreements not to compete with them. That is sometimes successfully litigated, so your relationship is important.
These are all generic descriptions that can't actually help you directly without further discussion of your specific situation. This information is not legal advice and you should meet with an attorney to get advice tailored to you and your specific needs.
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