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Running a website

Overview

The act of creating and publishing a website can involve a host of technical issues. Once these have been overcome, the legal requirements affecting the running of a commercial website are no less complex.

There are many different UK laws that regulate website design, domain name choice, website content, sales from websites, e-commerce and online activity.

Data protection

An important issue is how a website collates, stores and processes personal information about its customers, or its users. Operators of commercial websites need to understand and be able to apply the principles of data protection law.

Domain names

Those launching a commercial website will need to choose a domain name carefully. In particular, they should ensure that the chosen domain name is available, does not infringe another person's trade mark rights and is not confusing or obviously associated with someone else's business.

Terms and conditions

They will also need to know that the terms and conditions upon which they offer goods or services for sale are compliant with consumer protection laws. These cover more than just terms of sale but also affect, for example, how the goods or service are marketed or advertised, the means of access of consumers to the offers made and the rights of consumers before and after a sale is concluded.

Related services

What is the law guide

The Desktop Lawyer law guide aims to present the law to you in a comprehensive yet jargon-free and easy-to-read format. Our law guide is constantly kept up to date with changes in business and family law by our team of in house solicitors, and includes information across all the legal jurisdictions in the UK.

Our law guide is free to use. Where we provide documents related to this area of law, or where they may help you with any legal issue in this area, they will be listed to the right of this message.

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