Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Law Compliance
An acceptable use policy, designed for publication on a website, contains rules and standards with which visitors of a website must comply with when they are using its features. The website owner may rely on such rules in preventing both the unauthorised reproduction of material contained on the website, and undesirable user behaviour such as hacking, introducing viruses and uploading illegal or defamatory content. The terms allow the website owner to remove the offending material and to suspend, or permanently disable, a user's right to access the site. It also creates certain contractual remedies for breach by the user of any of the standards imposed by it.
Where a website includes features which provide interactive access to the site and allow the user to upload his/her own content or information to the site, it is especially important to publish an acceptable use policy. Interactive use of a website may result in the website owner becoming liable under UK internet law for the content or information posted on the site by a user if, for example, such information contains defamatory statements, or breaches the intellectual property rights of a third party.
In relation to defamatory material, the website owner runs the risk of being seen as a primary or secondary publisher, depending on the amount of editorial control he exercises over statements uploaded to the website by its users.
Both of the Stay Legal products includes an Acceptable Use Policy which will protect you and your users from any of the potential internet law issues outlined above.
Sample Acceptable Use Policy
This acceptable use policy sets out the terms between you and us under which you may access our website [DOMAIN ADDRESS] (our site). This acceptable use policy applies to all users of, and visitors to, our site.
Your use of our site means that you accept, and agree to abide by, all the policies in this acceptable use policy, which supplement our terms of website use [INSERT AS LINK TO SITE'S TERMS OF USE].
[DOMAIN ADDRESS] is a site operated by [NAME OF COMPANY] (we or us). We are registered in England and Wales under company number [COMPANY NUMBER] and we have our registered office at [COMPANY ADDRESS]. Our main trading address is [TRADING ADDRESS]. Our VAT number is [VAT NUMBER].
We are regulated by [NAME OF RELEVANT REGULATOR].
[OTHER REQUIREMENTS APPLYING TO PARTICULAR PROFESSIONS]
CHANGES TO THE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
We may revise this acceptable use policy at any time by amending this page. You are expected to check this page from time to time to take notice of any changes we make, as they are legally binding on you. Some of the provisions contained in this acceptable use policy may also be superseded by provisions or notices published elsewhere on our site.
PROHIBITED USES
You may use our site only for lawful purposes. You may not use our site:
- In any way that breaches any applicable local, national or international law or regulation.
- In any way that is unlawful or fraudulent, or has any unlawful or fraudulent ...
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