Legal Checklist for a New Online Business (Plain-Language Overview)

Website pages

• Privacy policy: what data you collect (forms, cookies, analytics, ads), why, who you share it with, and how people can contact you. Required by many privacy laws and by ad networks.
• Terms of use: the rules for using your site and limits on your liability.
• Refund or cancellation policy if you sell anything.
• Cookie notice and consent where required, especially for visitors in the EU, UK and similar jurisdictions.
• Disclosures for affiliate links, sponsored content and advertising.

Business basics

• Decide whether to start as a sole proprietor or form a company; each has different liability and tax effects.
• Register a business name if you trade under a name other than your own, where required.
• Understand when sales tax or VAT/GST registration becomes necessary for digital sales.
• Keep business and personal money separate from day one.

Intellectual property

• Search existing trademarks before choosing a brand name.
• Use only images, fonts and code you have the right to use; keep licences.
• Do not copy competitors' text or designs.
• Domain names that are just numbers or generic words are usually lower-risk than names that resemble a famous brand.

Email and marketing

• Get consent before adding people to marketing lists, and include an unsubscribe option.
• Keep a record of how and when each subscriber opted in.

Contests and giveaways

Prize contests are regulated in many places. Publish official rules, eligibility, judging criteria, dates and prize details. Skill-based judging is generally simpler than random draws. See our challenge rules for an example.

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