Templates for Copyright, Privacy Policy, TOU

Does anyone have boilerplates for these?

[Laxters]

Hi all,

Great forums here - I'll definitely be posting more, and trying to help where I can =)

I'm looking for some Copyright, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use page templates/samples available for use. Mostly, I'd like for something to start from, without stealing anyone's existing work.

I understand there's a lot more goes into a Copyright than just words and the symbol, but do I have to speak with our lawyer about that?

As far as the Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use, I'm not sure where to start. I've read a bunch of them from other sites, but I don't want to just copy any of them word for word.

Our site is mostly an online presence, but we're also creating functionality for users to log-in and modify their accounts.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

-- Lax

[rogerd]

A simple copyright notice may be all you need to cover your web content unless you are creating content of unusual appeal and value - a footer notice is all that most sites use. Of course, it is possible to create very detailed copyright notices and policies - here's an example [acm.org] from the ACM.

Privacy policies are a different topic. Here's one model privacy policy [truste.org] - a few minutes with your favorite search engine can probably turn up other examples, as well as inexpensive business form collections that include the kind of thing you are looking for.

I bought one of those legal document collections a while ago, and it often provides a good starting point for all kinds of thing. I also collect samples that I like (there are thousands upon thousands of privacy policies on the web, for example), and then rewrite my starting agreement/document incorporating useful bits from other samples as well as altering the wording to fit my needs.

For serious legal documents, of course, it's always best to consult with your attorney - if you can give your attorney some samples you like, though, you may be able to reduce the billable time needed.

[divaone]

try creativecommons.org for copyright licenses. as with anything, be sure to read the final product line by line to make sure it really says what you really mean :)