What are terms and conditions for a website?

Who is involved in terms and conditions for a website?

The terms and conditions for a website are created exclusively by the owner or administrator of a website. All users opt into these terms and conditions by virtue of using the website where they are clearly posted and accessible to be read by the users.
 

Which laws are applicable to terms and conditions for websites?

Terms and conditions for a website are typically governed by a combination of federal law and common law that addresses general principles of contract creation. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for consumer protection laws that prohibit websites from using unfair or deceptive practices. Various states also have their own consumer protection laws, which may include unclear or misleading terms and conditions. The FTC also prohibits false advertising and requires that websites disclose their use of affiliate relationships and sponsored content.
 

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires that a website get permission from the parents of children under the age of 13 before collecting their data or allowing them to register on the website.

 

What must terms and conditions for a website include?

Terms and conditions for a website must include at least the following mandatory information:

• Identifying information: The terms and conditions document includes information about the website and who owns it, including the name of the owner, the state where the owner resides, and the name of the website.
•  
• User responsibilities: The terms and conditions document outlines the users' responsibilities and obligations while using the website. This includes guidelines related to account creation, user conduct, and content submission, as applicable to the website.
•  
• Intellectual property: The terms and conditions document specifies their ownership of any intellectual property posted to their website, including any user-generated content.
•  
• Limitation of liability: The terms and conditions state that the website owners will not be held liable for any damages users may experience as a result of their use of the website.
•  
• Consequences: The terms and conditions describe the consequences for users that do not abide by the terms and conditions. This may include terminating the user's access to the site entirely.
•  

In addition to the above mandatory clauses, the following additional information may also be included:

• Age restriction: The website owner may choose to restrict use of the website to users above a certain age, usually 18 years or older, in the terms and conditions document.
•  
• Affiliate links: If the website owner uses affiliate links, or any other links to third-party websites, they may opt to include a disclaimer stating that they do not have any control over the content of those third-party websites.