{3 minutes to read}  If you are a business owner, your business probably has a website with links at the bottom of the home page that say Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Have you looked at the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy on your website, recently?

First, what are the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy? What are they for?

The Terms of Use is essentially a contract between the person who is using your website and the owner of the website, which should be your business. It explains how the person using the website is allowed to use it and what obligations may be incurred either by using the website or by the website owner when someone uses the website.

The Privacy Policy tells users what information is being collected from them when they visit your website, and more importantly, what is done with that information.

Many service professionals and law firms have basic websites, what I call “online brochures.” There isn't a lot of transactional work done via the website. There aren't necessarily forums or real exchanges of information. It's just presenting information by the website owner to the public. In that situation, the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy will not be very complex. You could probably get away with the standard Terms of Use and Privacy Policy that you can obtain either from your website designer or from online sources.

However,

•If transactions are being conducted by the user and by your company, or transactions that are put together by your website to connect third parties.

•If there are forums on your website, information is exchanged among third parties.

•If people are allowed to post profiles or create accounts.

That is a much more complex platform, and your Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy must reflect that. For instance, the Terms of Use should explain the transactions being conducted and the legal terms surrounding those transactions. The Privacy Policy must address all information collected, what's done with that information, how that information is shared, and how long that information is maintained.

Again, if there is anything more than just an online brochure being presented by your site, like a complicated service agreement between your company and your clients, you should make sure that you have a lawyer review the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy because those terms can be binding on your business. 

Click below to go to our website for more information, and feel free to call me or contact me if you have any questions about your Terms of Use or Privacy Policy.  

https://www.taylorlegal.com