Business
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THE NHF’S SITE: WEBSITES LEGALLY NEED TO DISPLAY KEY INFORMATION
Facts and figures
180 million
Number of active websites in the UK in 2014
£1,000
Maximum fine for failing to display mandatory business information
£500,000
Maximum fine for data protection breaches
from either you or third-party affiliates (normally via a tick box) and giving users a means to unsubscribe. If you collect and use personal data your business technically becomes what is known as a “data controller” and so your website will need to have a privacy policy explaining what data is being collected and why, and how users can contact you if need be. Your web design company should again be able to help with this or plugins should be available through your site-builder package. ACCEPTABLE USE If you blog about your activities or engage with customers on social media and allow what is known as “user generated content” on the site (in other words comments, reviews and pictures from clients), your site must include an “acceptable use” policy. This is to protect you against any illegal or offensive material being posted. Without this in place you, as the site
owner, could face action for information posted, not the individual responsible for the post. It is also a good idea to include a “disclaimer of liability” on your site. This is a warning to visitors that the information provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge but should not be taken as fact. The key message for salon owners is that even the smallest business is not exempt from the need to comply with the law around websites. If in doubt, get someone – your web developer or even a legal expert – to check your site for you.
IF NOTHING ELSE READ THIS… • Your website must display key details about your business • It must offer consent around ‘cookies’ and opt-out options • It should include an ‘acceptable use’ policy
Jan/Feb 2015 | salonfocus