| A real home based Internet business has to | | | | effectively record ownership of the contents |
| comply with the same legal regulations as an | | | | of the site, as well as its look and its |
| Internet business from any other location. | | | | feel. |
| Here are the basic legal issues with which a | | | | |
| real home based Internet business owner must | | | | Your site's domain name is an important part |
| be familiar. | | | | of the branding and marketing for your |
| | | | Internet business. It is best to tie that |
| The first issue, and a real concern for any | | | | domain name as closely as possible to your |
| home based Internet business is the | | | | logo, your brand and your business name. |
| restriction based on age. The U.S. Federal | | | | Carefully choose a domain name that clearly |
| Trade Commission (FTC) follows the | | | | conveys the products or services of your real |
| regulations spelled out in COPPA, the | | | | home based Internet business. Register your |
| Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, and | | | | domain name as a trademark and you can retain |
| requires that children under the age of 13 | | | | ownership should it be challenged by another |
| cannot disclose their personal information | | | | business. |
| unless a parent consents to it. Children | | | | |
| under the age of 18 cannot be allowed to view | | | | If your site is on the World Wide Web then |
| adult content on the Internet, nor can they | | | | you must comply with export regulations. If |
| enter into any contract. | | | | you sell goods over the Internet to these |
| | | | global consumers then you are exporting items |
| Real time occurrences on the Web, such as | | | | for sale and entering into international |
| chats, must be controlled by the home based | | | | countries. If your site is encrypted then you |
| Internet business owner. Bulletin boards | | | | are exporting to other countries U.S. |
| would have the same control issues. The rules | | | | Department of Commerce and Defense |
| of using each should solicit and retain the | | | | technology. There are many U.S. federal |
| consent of each online user to refrain from | | | | agencies that have regulations in force for |
| posting pornography, defamatory material or | | | | doing business with other countries, and the |
| anything that infringes on others' rights. | | | | times and circumstances that require a firm |
| Your company should also clearly state on its | | | | to get an export license to send information, |
| site that you are not liable for other users | | | | technology or goods abroad. |
| that commit to following your policies and | | | | |
| guidelines but subsequently violating them. | | | | There are countries with whom business |
| | | | transactions are limited severely for U.S. |
| To make real your ownership of all property | | | | firms. These countries are Cuba, Iran, Iraq, |
| and content on your home based business | | | | North Korea, Syria and Yugoslavia. The best |
| Internet site you'll need a copyright notice | | | | decision about the real problems you might |
| on the site's footer. The notice should have | | | | encounter for your home based Internet |
| the date and your name and the statement "All | | | | business doing business with these countries |
| rights reserved." A real copy of your home | | | | and/ or its residents should be made with |
| based business Internet site should be field | | | | your attorney. |
| with the U.S. copyright office. This will | | | | |