Legal Matters for Online Publishing and Protecting Yourself Online

Keywords:

Disclaimers, Privacy Statement, Terms and Conditions, Copyright notice, Legal Disclamers

ReSearch

• Starting a Blog http://weblogs.about.com/od/startingablog/u/StartingABlog.htm
• About Defamation: Libel and Slander
  • http://www.reputationhawk.com/onlinedefamation.html
  • https://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/defamation

Resources

• Legal Tips on Starting Online Business in Singapore by Singapore Legal Advice - https://singaporelegaladvice.com/law-articles/legal-tips-starting-online-business-singapore/
  • Copyright (Section 30 of Copyright Act)
  • Disclaimer (Unfair Contract terms Act)
  • Terms of Service/Use
  • PDPA Personal Data Protection Act/ Privacy Policy/ Data Protection Policy
  • Email and Phone Marketing (Do Not Call Registry)
  • Crowdfunding (Securities and Futures Act)
• FreeNetLaw - Free Legal Stuff for your Websites http://www.freenetlaw.com/free-website-terms-and-conditions/
  • Privacy statement
  • Website terms and conditions
  • Website disclaimer
  • Copyright notice
  • Cookies policy
  • Anti-spam policy
  • Linking policy
  • Medical disclaimer
  • Legal disclaimer
• Knowing your online rights on Chilling Effects - http://www.chillingeffects.org/ - A joint project of EFF and law universities
• Electronic Frontier Foundation - Defending Your Rights in the Digital World - https://www.eff.org/
• Examples
  • https://www.aircon-servicing.sg/website-disclaimer/

Tools and Templates

• Assessing a Blog (In Development) (Google Spreadsheet)
• Website Standard Terms and Conditions Template http://www.entrepreneur.com/formnet/form/1174
  • Forms Related to Website Standard Terms and Conditions Template
    • Custom Software Development
    • Website Privacy Policy
    • Website Design Contract
    • Web Site Hosting Agreement - Checklist
    • Terms and Conditions for E-Commerce
    • Website RFP Sample Template
    • Computer Service Agreement
    • Service Level Requirements Template
    • Web Hosting Contract
    • Website Affiliate Agreement

Samples

• Social Enterprise Website Usage Terms and Conditions http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/uploads/editor/files/Terms_and_conditions/Website_usage_TCs_APPROVED_sept_2011.pdf

Knowledge Base

What is a Blog

Types of Blogs

• Business Blogs

Blogging Rules and Ethics

• Cite Your Sources
• Ask Permission
• Fairuse
• Play Nice
• Licences: Creative Commons

Legal Issues

• Plagarism: Republishing another person's work and passing it off as your own
• Copyright: Laws that protect the original creator of a work such as text, images, audio, videos
• Trademark: Intellectual Property such as company names, product names, brand names, and logos
• Defamation, Libel and Slander: publishing information that is untrue or negatively affect another's reputation
• Privacy: Sharing or selling private information from visitors to a third party without disclosing or seeking permission from each person.
• Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions

Guides

Using Blogger

• What if Someone is posting about me? https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/76317?hl=en

Protecting Your Work

• Licensing your work on Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/
• Setting a Privacy Policy For Your Blog
  • i.e. If you collect email addresses for future mass postings, it is good to have a opt in option
• Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions, Legal Statements and Policies

Articles

The 20 Golden Rules of Business Blogging

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norm-schriever/the-20-golden-rules-of-bu_b_4388943.html

1. Give it a snappy, interesting title
2. Keep it short
3. Lead, don't follow
4. Produce original content
5. Consistency is key
6. Stay human
7. Social media and blogging are not the same
8. Don't focus on the wrong things
9. Use photos
10. Always include a call to action
11. If you take your business seriously, don't try to do it yourself
12. Engage
13. Put your blog on your website
14. Don't be 'salesy'
15. Break up the text
16. Measure your results
17. Link it up
18. Educate and entertain
19. Write topical and 'evergreen' information
20. Remember that it's not about you.

How to Write Terms and Conditions http://www.wikihow.com/Write-Terms-and-Conditions

1. Know the Basics
2. Explain your Policies and Procedures
3. Prioritise Your Terms and Conditions
4. Categorize and Organise your Terms and Conditions
5. Ensure your Terms and Conditions are easily Available
6. Review similar company's terms and conditions
7. Review your terms and conditions very carefully
8. Have a lawyer review your term and conditions
9. Keep your terms and conditions up to date