By reading this series and using this website, you agree to my Terms of Service and acknowledge that this is not legal advice but for informational purposes only. If you are a Colorado business with an online presence, please contact me, Elizabeth Lewis, your online business attorney for more information about how you need to structure your business, what you need to do to make sure your website complies with all the laws and protects you, and for all your business needs at 720-258-6647 or Elizabeth.Lewis@eclewis.com.

The opening paragraph of the terms of service is usually the introduction to the terms that you will abide by when using the site. In some cases, such as Facebook’s, they reserve the right to change, modify, add, or delete provisions at any time. In the case of Facebook, if you continue to use the site after the TOS is revised, you automatically agree to the revisions. Many sites have similar provisions, but not all of them. For those that do, it is usually your responsibility to monitor the site for changes, not Facebook’s, to alert you to change.

Some of you may recently have heard about the controversy involving Facebook’s change to its Terms of Service. This controversy involved a change to the copyright license (which will be discussed in a later post) which changed the license you were granting Facebook. Many times you cannot stop the company from changing its TOS, however this time, due to user outrage, the company reverted back the prior TOS. However, already the web is abuzz that Facebook will soon be changing its TOS to incorporation something similar to the controversial provisions that were deleted.

Many websites have a similar opening. Before using a site, be sure to read the TOS for each site to see what you are agreeing to. It may change whether you want to use the site or how you use the site. For more information about terms of services, or if you need a terms of service written for your company, please contact me, Elizabeth Lewis, your business attorney at 720-258-6647 or Elizabeth.Lewis@eclewis.com.