Starting an internet business is much easier now than it was ten years ago. Now it is possible to use open source software, outsource software development overseas, have your website hosted in the cloud, and register a domain for $10. However, there is also more to consider when you’re starting an internet business. Here are answers to many of the most frequently asked legal questions by entrepreneurs getting started online.

When you pay to have your website designed you should double-check with your agency whether or not you will own copyright to the work. This should be outlined in your contract. If you do not discuss this with your designer they are unlikely to claim that they own copyright at a later stage, but they would certainly be entitled to. In the UK the creator of the copyright will own all of the work unless it was completed as a result of a work-for-hire agreement, or you have a contract with the designer that says otherwise. The same also applies if you use the services of a software developer, a writer, or even, potentially, a translator.