It
is very important that every web site has a copyright and privacy policy
and that this is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
- Review
your copyright and privacy policy at least annually.
- Check for broken links
at least quarterly.
- Legally protect your organization’s Web content, ideas, logos and
information.
Privacy
Because of cookies, IP-address harvesting and spyware
concerns, your organization needs a privacy policy to govern its
collection and use of information.
This policy on privacy will no doubt
continue to be revised as European Union, Canadian and other cross-border
laws evolve.
All primary Web pages and any page that collects user information should
have a link to your privacy policy.
Copyright
 To put users on notice of your company’s copyright, all "top-level" or
primary Web pages should have a copyright notice such as "All Rights
Reserved, (c) 2000-2004 ABC Organization."
Every organization Web area that allows outsiders to post content must have
guidelines that detail prohibited conduct and reserve your right to edit,
modify or delete content as you see fit. Your legal department can tailor
appropriate guidelines for your site.
For trademarks owned by your organization, the first use of any trademarks and
service marks appearing on a publicly-accessible Web page should be
designated with a (R) symbol for registered marks, a (TM) for trademarks
or an "sm" symbol for unregistered marks, to provide specific notice to
end users of your company’s rights.
Your organization’s trademark rights can
also be stated in the "Legal Information" hyperlink at the bottom of a
main, external Web page.
Technology
Ensure that your organization has clear license rights to use any patented
technology on any internal or external site.
Such licenses should
indemnify your company for the use of the technology against third-party
claims of infringement.
When "posting" cryptography-related software on a server, especially any
server located in the United States, get approval from your legal
department.
Content and Links
Constantly update content because outdated information on your company’s
Web site can expose you to liability.
If your company places
time-sensitive offers on its Web page, indicate when the offers expire.
Broken links annoy potential visitors looking for information; automated
link crawlers can check the veracity of your site’s links.
If your organization links to other associations or companies, don’t use these
links to suggest your organization endorses the site or the site’s content
or owner. |
