We now provide Lawpath online legal documents for business websites
One of the most overlooked aspects of any professional web design build or redesign is online legal documents that adhere to local and international law for the locations where your website will be used. The most common of these are your website privacy policy and your website terms and conditions.
Legal documents are often cobbled together from online templates that usually don’t even begin to protect your business in your jurisdiction or where your clients are using your website. I’ve seen a lot of Australian small businesses using T&Cs they’ve grabbed from the internet that are written to comply with Californian law. At worst these docs are overlooked completely, and I know there are many small businesses out there that don’t have these documents on their websites at all.
Our partnership with Lawpath helps to eliminate this problem for better business websites.
Why is a website privacy policy important?
I think it’s fair to say that we’re all more aware of data privacy than ever before. In the face of the recent Optus and Medibank breaches here in Australia, the public conversation around what data companies are collecting, how it is being used and when it is disposed of. about how our own data is used, stored and when it is deleted.
More than half of Australians want tighter privacy laws, according to a Guardian poll. It’s safe to assume that the law will move on this in coming years. In the meantime, we’re definitely in an ethically sticky area where it will be beneficial to decide what data your business needs to collect — both direct data provided by users and data inadvertently scraped from them as they pass through your website.
I’m not saying all tracking is bad. For some businesses, it may make sense to track certain activities online to be able to better support clients. But we can all be deciding how and when that needs to happen to ensure those decisions are made with eyes open.
Does your business need to publish Website Terms & Conditions online?
Yes! All businesses are legally required to display website terms and conditions under Australian Consumer Law. This doc is important to protect your business from a range of issues including protection of your intellectual property, rights in regard to use of your services, liability and jurisdiction should anything go wrong. Lawpath explains this better me, so view the video below to get their take on what your T&Cs should include.
What website legal documents are included with Studio Clvr websites?
Our partnership with Lawpath gives access to two free legal documents. We recommend all new business to go for a Privacy Policy and Website Terms and Conditions.
Businesses that have been running for a while and are coming to us for a website redesign may already have some of the standard website documents, such as Privacy Policy and Website Terms and Conditions in place. The six documents Lawpath have included in the offer give some choice to Studio Clvr clients, so you can still get two free legal docs for requirements that your business may not have covered yet.
You can choose the documents you need from the following list:
- Privacy Policy: this is one of the most important documents on your website! Make sure you are following the law across all of the jurisdictions in which your business operates.
- Website Terms and Conditions of Use: cover yourself by setting out the rules that apply when people interact with use your website.
- Shipping Policy: if you sell physical products, having a shipping policy is a legal requirement to sell online.
- Refund Policy: whether you sell physical products or services, you must have a refund policy on your website.
- Cancellation Policy: make your cancellation policy super clear to avoid drama from cancelled appointments or services.
- Contractor Agreement (Individual): set up the rules for how you will legally engage with contractors who aren’t registered companies in their own right.
Need more than 2 online legal documents to protect your small business?
Lawpath also have affordable pricing for one-off or regular legal help for small businesses, so if you need extra legal docs or support, I can recommend them as a great option to keep your costs down while simultaneously protecting your business as it grows. They operate Australia-wide, so have documents specific to state laws where you are.
What about Studio Clvr clients outside of Australia?
We’ve had a partnership with Termageddon for a while now, and continue to support our international clients with 10% off the first year for their Privacy Policy and Website Terms generator. Just ask if you’re interested in learning more about this.
No more excuses for not having up-to-date online legal documents
So there you have it. Legal documents for your website are at your fingertips. If you’re looking for a new website or a redesign, you might want to check out our web design packages, which include these offers as standard. And they can be thrown in as part of our Clever Day service if you’re doing a general website refresh or need website help smashing through your website to-do list. Just add it to your list and let us know!
Disclaimers:
I am not a lawyer and the information on the Studio Clvr website does not constitute legal advice. Consult a lawyer for specific privacy-related legal advice.
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