Definition of a Lawsuit:
“A machine that you go into as a pig and come out of as a sausage.”
~Ambrose Bierce, American journalist, editorialist, and short story writer (1842-1914).
If you think your business is too small to get sued, think again. Small business owners are increasingly finding themselves caught up in lawsuits for simply using a photo they found on Google.
Sad as this is to say, there are people who make it their business to find people to sue.
I don’t want you to get sued.
I don’t want you to get caught with your pants down.
I don’t ever want you to find yourself on the receiving end of these three words:
You’ve been served.
Being turned into a sausage is a very bad experience, even if you win.
If you think I’m using scare tactics to get you to pay attention, I AM!
As a fellow online business owner, I implore you to resist putting your head in the sand.
Do not use images just because they’re on Google images.
Understand what “royalty free” actually means.
Don’t use other people’s content without permission. Attribution alone is not enough to protect you.
Make sure your legal ducks are all in a row, because getting hit with a demand letter for the unauthorized use of images online isn’t the only thing you should take into consideration.
- Being accused of failing to properly protect your customers’ privacy.
- Getting hit with the infamous “Google Slap.”
- Getting shut down by Facebook.
- Having clients leave you high and dry.
- Having contractors leave you high and dry.
- Being blacklisted for improper email marketing tactics.
- Having your website content and product ideas stolen.
- Having the IRS fine you for failure to properly file your business’s income taxes.
So, as you can see, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to protecting your online business and your personal assets.
To make it really easy for you to cover your assets online, without having to hire a lawyer, I’ve created a DIY Legal Toolkit. There are so many things you can do yourself without having to hire a lawyer, and so many pitfalls to avoid if you just had the right information.
Learn more about the Toolkit HERE.