What are Website Documents and Why Do You Need Them?
Do you own or operate an internet business or mobile application? If so, defining proper guidelines for visitors to your website or app is crucial to your legal protection. While there are various ways to protect your business, implementing Website Documents such as User Terms of Service and a Privacy Policy can minimize your exposure to legal risks. By retaining a business lawyer Orlando area businesses trust, the appropriate documents can be written in order to protect your business.
User Terms of Service
User Terms of Service, also known as Terms of Use or Terms and Conditions, is an agreement between you, the website or application owner, and the users of your site or app. The terms of the Agreement outline the rights and responsibilities of each party, so it is important that this document be correctly prepared and legally enforceable. Your User Terms of Service should clearly explain what a consumer can expect when using your website or app, and will vary from site to site depending on the services or products offered. These Terms typically cover a multitude of issues such as steps for terminating an account, refund policies (if you charge a fee), and the county and state that will govern a legal dispute in the unfortunate event one should occur.
Privacy Policy
A Privacy Policy is a statement to the users of your website or application that explains how their personal information is collected, and what it will be used for. If your website or mobile app collects information such as name, birthdate, email address, username, or address, etc. from consumers when they use your site or app, you will need to state as much in a Privacy Policy posted to your site or app. It may be true that your site or app does not collect any personal information, but you should still have a Privacy Policy reflecting that as the case. Either way, there are various laws in place to protect consumers and their personal information, and one of the best ways to protect your business is to clearly explain your practices in a Privacy Policy.
Can I just use another website’s policies?
While it may seem like a way to save time and money, copying another website or application’s User Terms and Privacy Policy can lead to several potential issues. Using documents from another website as your own could be copyright infringement and make you vulnerable to lawsuits brought by intellectual property owner(s). Moreover, the laws and regulations governing consumer privacy are always evolving, meaning you run the risk of using outdated and potentially illegal information. The stakes are even higher for mobile application owners as they risk having their application removed from or denied access to the marketplace for lack of appropriate policies.
If you currently operate a website or mobile application, our internet law attorneys can review your User Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for validity, and advise you of any necessary changes. If your site or app lacks these documents, or you are a new startup, the business lawyer Orlando area companies count on can work with you to prepare these necessary terms and policies.