I spoke at an AIMIA conference this week – Playing by the Rules – on a range of legal, compliance and risk-minimisation issues around developing websites, website content, managing users and generally existing on the web.
The panel was really quite excellent, and included:
- Michael Page, CEO of Net Ventures
- Ian McDonald, a Senior Solicitor at the Australian Copyright Council
- Katherine Giles, a Solicitor with the ABC
- Rachel Dixon, of Viocorp
The panel covered a broad number of areas, including copyright – especially in relation to User Generated Content – and rights online, privacy and passing off.
I took the angle as a Sydney web developer, and discussed how web developers often erred in their responsibilities (though hopefully, inadvertently most of the time) to clients to comply with a range of laws when publishing and maintaining websites. From failing to build websites so as to be Accessible, through image and content theft, questionable SEO conduct and even complying with recent Trade Practices Act (TPA) changes requiring that any advertised costs must be inclusive of all charges and costs, otherwise unavoidable to the buyer.
I wouldn’t dare cast stones, though by realising the issues, the overall industry can improve, all to the benefit of our clients.