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| Distance Selling Distance selling means selling and buying by phone, mail order, via the Internet or digital TV. Such transactions are covered generally by normal buying and selling legislation, but they are also covered by special Distance Selling Regulations. • e-commerce and distance selling regulations specify business information that you must provide on your website. Some examples follow: • The full name of your business and if you are a sole trader you must provide your own name. • Business contact details including an email address and actual address for your business that shows your geographical location. • Your VAT registration number (if you are registered) should be shown anywhere where you are displaying prices. • You must clearly show any Tax and Delivery elements where prices are concerned. The e-commerce regulations published by HSMO The Distance Selling Regulations published by the DTI Data Protection • If you run a web site where you are collecting information from users of your site then you will have to comply with the Data Protection Act. • Your are required to do the following: • Make it clear that you are collecting information. • Make it clear what information you are collecting, why you are collecting it and that it will only be used for that purpose. • Make sure the information you keep is accurate, upto date and is not kept any longer than is necessary. • Do not pass on the information you collect to anyone outside your business without the individuals consent. This means that you must take steps to keep the information you hold, secure. For example, do not send out group email that allows the recipient to see the email addresses of all the other recipients. • If anyone asks for a copy of the data that you hold on them you are obliged to provide it. The Data Protection Act 1998 Trade Descriptions • The same rules apply to web sites as to any other media. If you are describing your goods or services online then your descriptions must be accurate and not misleading. The Trading Standards Access for users with disabilities In 2004 parts of the Disability Discrimination Act came into force that may affect your web site • All business are to make 'reasonable adjustments' to ensure that their services are accessible to people with disabilities. • Website owners must consider accessibility issues pertaining to web page development and design as many users may be using the Internet in contexts very different to others. • There are no definite rules as it has not been tested yet, however, if you fail to make reasonable adjustments to an inaccessible website, this can constitute discrimination - whether or not you are aware that disabled users use your site. Intellectual property rights • You automatically have rights regarding the information that you publish on your site through international copyright laws. • You must ensure that you are not infringing anyone else's rights - for example, make sure that you have permission to use other people's logos, images or text before you include them in your site. |