It’s a fact of life that we in business are subject, quite rightly, to rules and laws. The problem is that for a small business it can appear to be a legal minefield out there.

Some aspects of IT are covered by some quite draconian legislation;

• The Data Protection Act is probably the starting point for many in business when considering IT legal issues. This act basically defines how we are supposed to manage people’s data in a fair and reasonable way. In fact you will probably need to pay a small fee and register the fact that you are storing this type of data.

• If you are storing information in a protected way (i.e. encrypted data) then you need to keep your tools to unencrypt data to hand. If you loose them and are subject to an investigation you could be sent to prison if you are found guilty of preventing the authorities accessing this data

• If you buy or sell goods online then you are subject to a variety of laws to protect consumers, including the Sale of Goods Act, which protects consumers from buying sub standard goods. Other legislation includes the Distance Selling Regulations and the E-Commerce Regulations.

• The Disability Discrimination Act covers access to web sites for those with impaired vision or other conditions

Like me you are probably more concerned about selling products and developing your business. For most people if you follow the basic rules and act using common sense then you will be fine. If you feel you need more specific help then certainly engage a legal professional.

We have a couple of guides that can help you a bit further;

Data Protection Law

eBusiness and the Law

What next?

For further IT security information visit www.ecrimewales.com, for a guide to e-Crime prevention and detection.