Internet Business Lawyer

Whether you are just starting an online business, opening a web presence for your real world company or are already established online, it is vital you understand the web is becoming a highly regulated market from a legal perspective. As an internet lawyer, I provide clients with the advice and documentation required to comply with the latest legal requirements so you can focus on running your business instead of legal issues.

Internet Law

Just what is internet law? In truth, there is no such thing. It is simply a phrase of convenience used to describe a collection of laws applicable to businesses on the web. These laws include everything from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act governing copyright issues to Federal Trade Commission regulations detailing what must [and must not] be in the terms of use, privacy policy and advertising for a site. Throw the rapid growth of social media and mobile apps into the equation, and online businesses are faced with a plethora of legal issues even if they often don’t realize it. Unfortunately, ignorance of a law is no defense against failing to comply with it.

One area where websites often get into legal trouble is their failure to take into account legislation applicable to certain niches. For instance, consider dating sites. Is such a site required to carry out background checks on members signing up with the site? What about a social media site where one member makes slanderous statements about another? Can the site be held liable for those statements? What if your site is tailored towards adults, but has games on it? Must the site comply with the  regulations dictated by the FTC in relation to children’s privacy online? A different law applies to each of these questions and the incorrect assessment can result in devastating fines and injunctions or lawsuit judgments. Do you know what laws apply to your specific site and are you in compliance with them? “Winging it” it on the web is a very good way to get into significant legal trouble.

Internet Attorney

As an internet attorney, I provide online businesses with the advice and documentation needed to minimize the risk of legal disputes. Common documents include web design contracts, terms of use, privacy policies and nominal disclaimers for websites as well as contractual agreements with marketers. Depending on the nature of the site, more complex matters such as the establishment of compliance procedures for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, earnings disclaimers and even compliance with the draconian FTC regulations applicable to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 may be required. All clients are provided website reviews to identify areas where the site suffers from liability exposure and the steps needed to close off such exposure.

Contact me today to discuss your project or legal issues. If you prefer to learn more, read through the articles posted in the categories to the right, join our newsletter or follow me on twitter. Please note the articles are provided for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice for your specific situation.

Richard Chapo, Esq.
@richardachapo