Whether you view it as a good or bad thing, in the 21st century, corporate emails and webites have as many laws governing them as any other section of business and if you have an online presence you need to be aware of them. Here are a few we think are important:
1 - All commercial websites in the UK must permanently include:
a) the company’s name
b) the registered office address
c) an email address - not just a contact us form
d) the company’s registration number;
e) any Trade or Professional Association memberships;
f) the company’s VAT number.
2 - To prevent being classed as ‘Spam’, you must have someone’s consent before emailing them marketing information and you must include an “unsubscribe” option with every marketing email.
3 - Reproducing content of any sort, without referencing the source, even on blogs and other social media outlets is a copyright violation. Visit Out-Law’s Copyright pages for more information
4 - If you register a domain name that conflicts with an existing trade mark, you can be taken before a dispute resolution body or a court by the trade mark holder and your ownership of the domain may be cancelled or transferred.
For a full list of legal requirements your UK website must follow, Out-Law’s checklist is invaluable.