Internet Law - Find Internet Law Vendors, Tips & Advice, Buying Guides

Directory of internet lawyers, ecommerce laws, and regulations concerning computer and online legal issues.

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Legal Answers on E-Commerce

The reach of the Internet lets companies shrink the distance between customers and products or services. New technology brings novel legal issues related to e-commerce, including the need for global legal protections for businesses. If you conduct business electronically, understanding common legal issues makes smart business sense. Some aspects of e-commerce include:

Privacy and data security
Tax issues — U.S. and international
Piracy and copyright infringement

Meet your privacy and security obligations

This one is a moving target. There are multiple bills pending in Congress intended to spell out an e-business's obligation to keep its customers' private data secure. The laws touch on such matters as when a company may sell information to another or when a consumer must be notified that security has been breached.

Protect your domain name

As company or product name gains recognition, its domain name becomes a valuable asset. Take some basic steps to prevent competitors from mooching off of your company's successful brand by acquiring trademark protection and registering similar names.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Affordable domain name registration is common today - register your domain name, common misspellings, and similar names at GoDaddy.com. NameProtect helps secure your domain name by offering trademark screening and monitoring and online brand protection.

Collect or pay sales tax

There is currently no federal legislation or statewide enforcement of sales tax on online transactions. Income tax regulations can vary by state, so consult your state tax authority. Proposed federal legislation allowing states to tax sales made over the Internet is likely to pass soon.

Post a

Many companies post a "terms of use" section on their sites to clarify issues like where lawsuits should be filed (jurisdiction), dispute resolution, and disclaimers.

If your site contains content either directed at children or adults-only content, be sure to comply with federal child safety and privacy laws.
Use digital encryption to secure electronic signatures.
In addition to a terms-of-use and privacy policy, be sure to post a copyright statement on your site's home page.

Tips & Advice for Internet Law

Internet law, sometimes called cyber law or cyberspace law, is a cutting-edge field. Many of the legal problems that arise on the Internet are new, so legal scholars and judges have had to create a whole new field of law almost from scratch. The field is still evolving and will likely continue to evolve for some time to come.
Some of the current hot topics in Internet law include Internet privacy, intellectual property, jurisdiction, and freedom of expression. Small business owners who have a presence online may already be aware of some of the legal ramifications of doing business on the Internet.
Legal issues may come up during the course of conducting ordinary business online if you register a domain name, write a terms of service page for a website, buy or sell copyrighted material, or buy or sell a website. While business people can handle many ordinary transactions themselves, they may need to hire attorneys if they are dealing with complex transactions or if they are involved in a dispute. If you are dealing with a legal problem on the Internet, it is important to look for an attorney who has experience and expertise in Internet law.
For more information on Internet Law, see the links on this Business.com page.

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