Your website attorney probably gets asked this question a lot. When you’re updating your website’s terms of service (a.k.a. terms of use, terms and conditions of use) or privacy policy, how do you let your website visitors and clients know about it?
For those who have opted into one of your email lists, send out a brief notice that…
1. Tells them you’ve updated the documents.
2. Briefly explains in plain English what you’ve changed.
3. Includes a link to the changed document on your site so they can read it.
For those who visit your site but aren’t on your lists, post a notice on your home page. Here’s an example…
“Our Privacy Policy has been updated. Please click here to see what’s been changed.”
Of course, you’ll want to link from the statement to the policy that’s been modified.
Be sure to use a decent-sized font and don’t try to hide the notice by matching the font color to your site’s background. Make it easy to see.
In other words, treat your visitors and clients with the same respect you like to receive when the websites you go to change their terms and policies. If you have any questions, talk with your website attorney to ensure you’re doing the right thing by your visitors and clients while minimizing your legal risks in the process.
If you haven’t updated your website legal documents to reflect the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines that went into effect on December 1, 2009, chances are what you have on your website is obsolete.
To your online success!
-Mike the Website Attorney
