Website Law

If you want your website to succeed, you’ll need to understand basic legal and business principles.

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If you want your website to succeed -- whether you are creating a simple two-page online shop for a local jeweler or a thousand page site for a Fortune 500 company -- you’ll need to understand basic legal and business principles. This section provides the basics for developers and those who contract for website development with a focus on contracting, intellectual property and the patchwork variety of website related laws and regulations.

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These articles can help with common website legal issues.

Website Terms and Conditions
Every site needs them ...
How to Create a Website for Your Small Business
Make sure you know how to create the best website for your business.
Tips for Creating Your Website's "Terms of Use"
Keep your website's terms of use easy to understand so that both your customer and you understand your obligations.
Getting Permission to Publish: Ten Tips for Website Managers
Don't leave home without these 10 tips
Increasing Traffic to Your Website
Building traffic is key to online success
Who Owns Website Created By Contractors?
When a person or company hires an independent contractor (nonemployee) to create or contribute to the creation of a website, it must make certain to obtain ownership of the copyright in the contractor’s work.
What Notices Should Be Commonly Included on Websites?
It does not cost anything to place this type of statement near the copyright notice, and it may help deter copyright infringement.
Internet Sales Tax: A 50-State Guide to State Laws
Learn the rules for your state about paying sales tax on Internet sales.

Do it Yourself Resources

Here are some books, forms and software for website developers

A Legal Guide to Web & Software Development
Untangle the complex and confusing laws covering website and software development.

Website Development Agreement
Avoid legal hassles with a website development agreement

Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference
Get the most concise and comprehensive explanations of intellectual property in one volume!

Getting Permission: How to License & Clear Copyrighted Materials Online & Off
Learn how to secure the use of copyrighted images, text, music, and more with clear, up-to-date instructions.

Letter Confirming Employee's Ownership of Intellectual Property Rights
Establish ownership of a creative work you've made as an employee

Noncompete Agreement
This easy-to-use form helps to prevent departing employees from becoming a threat to your business.

The Public Domain: How to Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More
You'll get specific information about finding copyright-free writings, music, art, photography, software, maps, databases, videos, and more.