Creating a legally compliant website is not just good practice; protecting your business and its users is necessary.
From privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA to accessibility standards like ADA and WCAG, ensuring your website meets legal requirements helps avoid lawsuits, fines, and user dissatisfaction.
A legally compliant website design incorporates these legal standards into its structure and user experience (UX) from the ground up.
As a business lawyer, I will provide essential tips for making a website legally compliant, covering critical areas such as privacy policies, accessibility standards, and data security.
Additionally, we’ll discuss how developers and designers from UX design agencies in New York, Texas, and across the U.S. implement these elements into modern web design practices to build user-friendly and legally sound websites.
Table of Contents
Understanding Website Compliance
Website compliance involves following the laws and regulations that dictate how websites are created, managed, and operated.
It ensures that the website respects user rights, such as data privacy and access to information, and meets the required standards for accessibility and security.
Failing to meet compliance standards can lead to legal penalties, loss of user trust, and even the site shutdown.
The main areas of focus when considering website compliance are privacy protection, data security, and accessibility for users with disabilities.
For instance, if you collect personal data from users, such as email addresses or payment details, you must comply with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for European users or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents.
Moreover, ensuring that your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, requires following standards like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Designers and developers across the U.S., whether they’re part of a UX design agency in New York or working in other regions, prioritize compliance by integrating these requirements into the very foundation of the website design process.
Key Website Laws and Regulations for Legal Compliance
To ensure your website is legally compliant, you must know several privacy laws and different requirements.
These rules vary depending on the regions your website serves and the kind of data you collect.
Your website’s legal pages need to address these laws by including specific legal provisions to be compliant.
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GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
GDPR is one of the strictest privacy regulations in the world.
If your website serves users in the European Union, GDPR requires that you obtain explicit consent before collecting personal data, give users the right to access or delete their data, and disclose how their data will be used.
GDPR compliance is not just limited to the EU; you have to comply with it even if you are in the US.
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CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
CCPA applies to businesses that collect personal data from California residents in the United States.
It requires companies to inform users of their rights, including the right to access and delete their data and opt out of the sale of their information.
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CalOPPA (California Online Privacy Protection Act)
In addition to CCPA, CalOPPA was one of the first state laws in the US regulating privacy for online businesses.
It’s a data privacy law that requires company websites to post a proper privacy policy online to avoid fines and penalties.
This privacy policy should outline what kind of personal information the website owners collect from website visitors and how that information is being used.
Personal information can be contact information, phone numbers, credit card information, emails, etc.
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COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)
As part of your specific requirements above, you have to abide by COPPA, which is a privacy law for children under age 13.
It gives control to parents over what information websites can collect from their children.
This law is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and helps protect children’s personal information online.
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ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
The ADA mandates that websites be accessible to users with disabilities.
ADA compliance includes making sure your website is navigable with a screen reader, offering alternative text for images, and including captioning for video content.
The purpose of this law is to give equal access to your website to all people including the ones with disabilities.
Learn more in this video.
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WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
WCAG provides detailed guidelines for making websites accessible.
These standards are not laws per se, but following them helps ensure your website complies with legal requirements like ADA.
Grab our ADA legal bundle to ensure compliance with ADA and WCAG guidelines.
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EU Cookie Law and Cookie Consent Notice
EU’s cookie law is one of the international laws that you have to comply with.
The use of cookies is regulated to ensure that users are aware of and have a choice over the information collected during their online activities.
Websites must provide clear and comprehensive information about the cookies they use and seek the user’s consent before placing cookies on their devices.
That’s why you see a cookie banner on websites as well to fulfill their legal obligations.
This law aims to safeguard user privacy by emphasizing transparency and user consent.
Additionally, you need to post a cookie policy in your privacy policy as well, which you get for free as a bonus in our legal bundles here.
Related Video: How to Make Your Website Legally Compliant
Click here to watch the video and subscribe to my channel to learn more.
Why Website Accessibility is Crucial
Website accessibility is not just a legal obligation but also an ethical one.
An accessible website ensures that all users, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities, can easily navigate and interact with your content.
In recent years, lawsuits related to ADA non-compliance have increased, making it even more important to prioritize digital accessibility in your website design.
By following accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1, you ensure that people with disabilities can use your website without barriers.
Website Accessibility features include:
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Using alt text for images helps screen readers describe visual content.
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Providing closed captions for video and audio content.
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Ensuring that all text on your website is readable and resizable.
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Designing for keyboard navigation, enabling users to navigate without a mouse.
Web accessibility goes hand in hand with SEO best practices, so by improving accessibility, you’re also enhancing your website’s visibility in search engines.
Developers and agencies across the U.S., from New York to California, understand that accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal requirements — it’s about creating a positive user experience for everyone.
Here’s the Website Accessibility Statement you need to post on your website to demonstrate compliance.
ADA and WCAG Guidelines
Following the WCAG 2.1 guidelines is the best approach to ensure your website complies with the ADA.
These guidelines are built around four core principles:
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Perceivable: All information must be presented to users in ways they can understand.
For instance, providing text alternatives for non-text content (like images and videos) ensures that users with visual impairments can still access the information.
- Operable: Your website’s interactive elements should be usable by people with various physical abilities.
This includes ensuring your site is navigable by keyboard or voice commands, not just a mouse.
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Understandable: Your website’s content should be easy to read and comprehend.
Avoid complex jargon, use clear language, and ensure the navigation is straightforward and intuitive.
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Robust: Your website should be compatible with current and future information technology, including assistive devices like screen readers.
Crafting a Comprehensive Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is a legal document that outlines how your website collects, uses, stores, and shares user data.
It should be transparent and easy to understand and cover all aspects of data collection, from the types of information you gather to how users can request their data be deleted.
If your website has visitors from California or the European Union, ensuring your privacy policy complies with CCPA and GDPR is crucial.
Your privacy policy should include important provisions such as:
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What data is collected: Clearly state whether you collect information like email addresses, payment details, or browsing habits.
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Why the data is collected: Explain the reasons behind collecting user data, such as improving website performance or marketing.
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How the data is stored and shared: Outline how long you keep user data and whether you share it with third parties.
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User rights: Provide details on how users can request access to their data, request deletion, or opt out of data collection.
GDPR and CCPA: What You Need to Know
The GDPR and CCPA have changed how websites worldwide handle user data.
Understanding the differences and similarities between these regulations is essential for compliance.
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GDPR applies to all companies that process personal data from individuals in the EU, regardless of where the company is based. This regulation requires websites to obtain explicit consent from users before collecting their data and to allow users to access, delete, or correct their information.
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CCPA specifically protects California residents. It gives users the right to know what personal data is being collected, request deletion of their data, and opt out of selling their information. While CCPA is less strict than GDPR, websites must provide a transparent and accessible privacy policy.
Click here to get a GDPR and CCPA-compliant privacy policy and other essential website legal templates (written by a lawyer).
Security Measures and Data Protection
Website security is crucial to compliance, especially when protecting sensitive user data.
Follow these cybersecurity tips as well.
A secure website helps build user trust and prevents data breaches, which can lead to significant financial and legal consequences.
One of the most important security measures is implementing an SSL certificate.
SSL encrypts data between the user and your website, ensuring that personal information like credit card details and passwords remain private.
In addition to SSL certificates, add the following security practices:
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Secure login systems: Use two-factor authentication (2FA) and strong password requirements to protect user accounts.
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Regular security audits: Perform routine checks to identify and fix vulnerabilities promptly.
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Encrypted payment gateways: To protect user financial data, ensure that all payment transactions on your website are securely encrypted.
SSL Certificates and Encryption Best Practices
An SSL certificate is essential for encrypting sensitive data on your website.
Most browsers flag websites without SSL as insecure, which can deter potential visitors and lead to lower search engine rankings.
This is especially important for e-commerce websites where you are selling products and collecting personal information.
To implement SSL and encryption, here are the best practices:
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Install an SSL certificate: This ensures your website operates over HTTPS, encrypting data and securing user information.
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Use strong encryption protocols: Ensure your SSL certificate uses the latest encryption technologies to protect against evolving threats.
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Test for vulnerabilities: Regularly test your website’s security to identify potential vulnerabilities that could expose user data.
How to Create a Legally Compliant Website: UX Design for Compliance
Creating a legally compliant website involves more than just checking boxes on a legal checklist.
It also requires designing with compliance in mind from the very beginning.
UX design plays a crucial role in ensuring your website meets legal standards while providing a smooth user experience.
Web developers and UX design agencies from New York to Texas focus on integrating compliance into the user experience.
This means designing simple, intuitive navigation, ensuring that users can easily find privacy information, and making forms accessible to all users.
Additionally, a compliance-focused UX design ensures that websites are ADA and GDPR-compliant without compromising aesthetics or usability.
When legal requirements are part of your UX design strategy, you meet regulations and create a more trustworthy and user-friendly website.
Related Posts on Creating a Legally Compliant Website
Check out these related blog posts on website compliance:
- Ways to Legally Protect Your Website, Blog, and Online Business
- ADA Website Compliance Checklist from a Lawyer
- CCPA Compliance for Online Business
- 13 Website Mistakes to Avoid
- 13 Essential Tips to Keep in Mind When Creating a Website from Scratch
- Lawyer’s Guide on AI Disclaimer for Websites
- 11 Essential Website Legal Pages You Need
Copyright Notice and No Plagiarism Requirements
It’s never a good idea to copy anyone’s content such as images, text, or videos.
Under copyright law, you risk getting sued for hefty amounts for plagiarism, which is the unauthorized use of someone else’s work without giving proper credit or permission.
This is considered stolen content, which is illegal.
To avoid any legal issues, it’s important to always give proper attribution and ask for permission.
Use this Media Release Agreement before using someone else’s content.
This not only protects you from costly legal proceedings but also promotes ethical online practices.
User-Generated Content Requirements
User-generated content refers to any type of content created and shared by users on a website or online platform.
It can include text, images, videos, reviews, comments, and more.
With the rise of social media and online platforms, there has been an increase in user-generated content, where individuals contribute their own content to websites or social media channels.
However, website owners need to be aware of laws and regulations surrounding user-generated content.
This includes ensuring that proper consent is obtained from individuals before using their content, protecting against copyright infringement claims, and moderating any potentially harmful or illegal content posted by users.
Implementing clear guidelines for user-generated content and obtaining consent from users before featuring their content can help protect both the website owner and its users.
You can use this License Agreement to get legal permission or this Media Release Agreement template.
FAQ on Creating a Legally Compliant Website
Below are answers to common questions on how to make your website legally compliant.
How to make sure a website is legal?
“What does a website need to be compliant?” is a common question that comes up in my business and legal consultations with business owners.
Here are the four legal pages (aka legal notices) you need to post on your website to ensure compliance with the various laws we discussed.
1. Privacy Policy Page
You need a comprehensive privacy policy that’s compliant with all different state and international laws.
If you don’t have a privacy policy on your website, then you are breaking the law.
You get this lawyer-written privacy policy template in our legal bundles here OR grab it individually here.
2. Disclaimer
Legal disclaimers help prevent lawsuits. It protects you from legal liability.
Any time you share information on your website, whether through a blog post, newsletter, or digital product, you open yourself to liability because someone could take that information as “advice” and suffer financially, mentally, or even physically.
That’s why a proper disclaimer protects you from that legal liability and gives you legal protection, so you don’t get sued.
Also, if you share affiliate links to earn a commission, you are required to give affiliate disclosures, which also come in our Disclaimer template here.
3. Terms and Conditions –
Think of these as your website rules.
Terms and Conditions outline how your website should be used and what visitors can or cannot do with your content.
So, essentially, having proper terms and conditions helps protect your intellectual property rights (blog posts, photos, videos, etc).
It also informs your visitors WHERE and HOW legal disputes will be handled.
Your terms and conditions page (aka terms of service) also outlines your refund/exchange policies for your online store, online services, or digital products for example.
Grab this template here OR save more money and get it as part of our legal bundles here.
4. Website Accessibility Statement –
This statement is needed for people with disabilities who visit your website and to ensure your compliance with different accessibility laws out there, especially the Americans with Disabilities Act (aka ADA).
You get this template as part of my ADA website legal bundle here.
This is the best way to ensure compliance with this law and avoid legal risks because we have seen many website owners being sued for non-compliance.
What else do I need to make my website compliant?
In addition to the above, you will need essential business contracts in our VIP legal bundle to work with others.
Running a business is an ongoing process that requires different contracts depending on what you are doing.
For example, if you are a coach, you will use a Coaching agreement with your potential clients to avoid legal issues.
Similarly, web designers will need a Website design agreement here to design websites for their clients and avoid legal trouble.
If you use AI tools in business in any capacity then make sure to use this AI disclaimer to avoid legal action and liability associated with these tools.
The nature of your website and what you sell may require additional legal documents so it’s always best to schedule a consultation with a lawyer like me to get legal advice and peace of mind.
What’s DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act)?
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a law in the United States that addresses copyright infringement on digital platforms.
It provides protections for online service providers who may unknowingly host or link to copyrighted material, as long as they comply with certain requirements such as taking down infringing content upon receiving a notice from the copyright owner.
The DMCA also includes provisions for safe harbor and takedown notices, which are important considerations for website owners when dealing with potential copyright violations.
Failure to comply with the DMCA can result in legal consequences, making it an important law to be aware of and follow when managing an online platform.
If you ever need to give a DMCA Takedown notice then here’s a free legal template you can use.
What are FTC regulations for affiliate marketing?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for enforcing laws related to consumer protection and fair competition in the United States.
For affiliate marketing, the FTC has specific guidelines that require disclosures of any financial relationships between endorsers and advertisers.
This includes disclosing if an endorser receives compensation for promoting a product or service.
The guidelines also state that endorsements must be truthful and not misleading to consumers.
If you engage in affiliate marketing, make sure to understand and adhere to these regulations to maintain transparency with your audience.
This means giving an affiliate disclosure before sharing affiliate links on your website, social media or in email newsletters.
If you need a proper affiliate disclosure language, you get that for free as part of our Disclaimer template here including the unique language needed for Amazon’s affiliate program.
Talking about affiliate marketing, join our high-paying affiliate program for free here to make a 40% commission on each sale!
Final Thoughts on Website Compliance Requirements
Creating a legally compliant website is crucial for protecting your business and ensuring all users can access and enjoy your content.
By understanding and applying key legal frameworks — such as privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, accessibility guidelines like ADA and WCAG, and security measures like SSL certificates — you can build a compliant but also user-friendly and secure legal website.
To make this process easy and quick for you, I put together our legal bundles here that give you all the essential legal documents you need to post on your website for ultimate peace of mind and legal protection.
RELATED POSTS TO WEBSITE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
In addition to learning about how to create a legally compliant website, you should join my Facebook group here to connect with me and other entrepreneurs.
This blog offers many legal tips for entrepreneurs here.
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Lawyer’s Guide on AI Disclaimer for Website (+Template)
Creating a Website From Scratch: 13 Essential Steps
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