[linuxjobs] Contact information (Was: Sysadmin Position @ Mobile Fun)

[Simon Hobson]

Daniel Case wrote:

>  >>Its worth remembering that this information *MUST* be included on 
>every web site in the EU.

>Really? I wasn't aware of that, even non commercial sites?... There
>are some websites I have that I don't want people knowing my contact
>info (for example I host a "free speech" chinese forum - for obvious
>reasons we take anonymity and security very seriously)

Not sure about non-commercial, but any business site is required to 
carry certain information, more so if it is "selling" anything. But 
there are a lot of sites which do not carry the legal minimum and the 
owners/operators are breaking the law.
I had "something of a disagreement" with management at a previous 
employer over this. They wanted to trade on a website under a 
different name and not have it linked to the main company name - it 
was to do with keeping brand identities separate. I had to go and 
find chapter and verse before they'd accept there was a problem - and 
then I was considered "being difficult" rather getting thanks for 
helping them avoid prosecution for breaking the law !

Something similar applies to emails. Business email is classed in 
much the same way as a letter, and certain information is required to 
be on it - company name, address, and contact information, plus if 
it's a PLC or LTD then the registration number is required.

This is, of course, a right pain for users of Apple's iCrap devices 
where you cannot set per-account email signatures - meaning that if 
you have multiple email accounts, and any of them is business, then 
you have to manually add the correct signature on a mail-by-mail 
basis. There is an app which is supposed to handle that, but I 
strongly suspect it breaks if you just hit reply rather than creating 
a new mail via the app.

This is what I came up with for email. A quick look tells me that the 
trading disclosure regs explicitly apply to websites. I suspect that 
the Distance Selling regs also have something to say, but I've not 
looked them up.


Companies Act 2006, Chapter 6
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/part/5/chapter/6

And also The Companies (Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2008 
(sections 6 & 7 are most applicable)
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/495/pdfs/uksi_20080495_en.pdf

And more guidance from Companies House
http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gp1.shtml#ch10
-- 
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
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