Websites

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis

A website is a page or connected group of pages accessible through the internet. Websites can range from simple one-page sites to highly complicated interactive and trading sites. A range of legal issues apply to all websites in relation to:

  1. •

    creation and development

  2. •

    maintenance and hosting

  3. •

    ownership

  4. •

    content, and

  5. •

    advertising, marketing and optimisation

Websites are closely related to, but distinct from, domain names, which create the internet’s naming and addressing system. See: Domain names—overview.

Depending on the intended functionality of the website, there may be other relevant legal issues, for example:

  1. •

    commercial trade (see: E-commerce—overview) or

  2. •

    social interaction or third party content sharing (see: Digital and social—overview)

Website creation and development

Website developers turn website designs into fully functioning websites ready for live deployment. Developers use common languages to code websites such as HTML, Java, JavaScript, Python, C, C#, PHP and CSS.

Before development can begin, there are a number of practical issues to consider when a new website is commissioned. These include:

  1. •

    agreeing a clear specification for what will be produced, or at least a process

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Existing user? Sign-in TAKE A FREE TRIAL
Powered by Lexis+®
Latest TMT News

DSIT announces Telecoms Consumer Charter to end mid‑contract price rises, and confirms industry signatories

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a new Telecoms Consumer Charter aimed at preventing unexpected mid-contract price rises. New signatories include BT, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, Sky and TalkTalk. The Charter follows intervention by the Chancellor and the Technology Secretary on 11 February 2026. It requires providers to offer clear pricing and upfront information about any future price changes, reflecting a collective ambition to go further by ensuring transparency, supporting those who are struggling to pay and strengthening trust so that consumers can continue to benefit from excellent services at fair prices. The Charter also makes social tariffs easier to access. Ofcom has said these tariffs could save eligible households up to £220 per year. Under the Charter, providers will signpost social tariffs more clearly, support customers facing financial difficulty and allow customers to switch to cheaper plans without penalty. Alongside this, the government has launched a Mobile Market Review to examine how best to support long-term investment in the sector and deliver standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. Industry bodies, including ISPA and INCA, have welcomed the Charter, saying it will strengthen consumer confidence, support network investment, and improve coverage, service quality and value.

Prime Minister sets out measures to reinforce platform obligations on child safety

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), led by The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, together with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has announced plans to strengthen online child safety protections. The government intends to close loopholes in the Online Safety Act 2023 to ensure that all artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot providers are subject to the illegal content duties under the OSA 2023. It will also introduce new powers enabling ministers to act more quickly as technology evolves.

DCMS launches review of UK radio industry's digital transition

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a review of the UK radio industry to secure its long term sustainability as listening shifts to digital platforms. Nearly 75% of listening now takes place online, while more than 85% of adults tune in each week. The government will work with the BBC, commercial radio and other industry partners to examine changes in listener behaviour, market trends and technological developments, including artificial intelligence. The review will consider whether a managed transition away from FM broadcasting should take place in the 2030s and assess the potential impact of decisions on Digital Terrestrial Television for radio distribution. It follows the 2021 Radio and Audio Review, which recommended revisiting the possibility of an analogue switch off in 2026. The review will report in autumn 2026 and will inform further policy development and the BBC Charter Review.

Commission adopts EU ICT supply chain security toolbox

The European Commission has announced several measures on cybersecurity, competition, State aid and mergers. It introduced an information and communication technologies (ICT) Supply Chain Security Toolbox, developed with Member States and  EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) through the NIS2 Cooperation Group, to create a common EU approach to identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks in ICT supply chains. It also proposed a trusted ICT supply chain framework under the revised EU Cybersecurity Act and published two risk assessments on connected vehicles and border detection equipment. Under the EU Merger Regulation, the Commission approved Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, subject to the full divestment of Curve Royalty Systems to prevent access to commercially sensitive data. It cleared the acquisitions of Aditya Birla Renewables by Grasim and BlackRock, and of Leeds Bradford and Newcastle airports by Aena and its partners, finding no competition concerns. The Commission approved a €1.04bn Danish State aid scheme to support landowners who remove land from production to reduce emissions and improve environmental protection, concluding that it complied with EU rules. It also opened an in-depth investigation into a €15.4m capital injection into PostNord Logistics to determine whether it constitutes State aid.

View TMT by content type :  
News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Popular documents

Do search engines such as Google have any liability for copyright infringement when they use processes

Do search engines such as Google have any liability for copyright infringement when they use processes such as web crawling and indexing to capture and display content, including text and images?Web crawling describes the process in which computer programs (often referred to as ‘bots’, ‘spiders’ or

Does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts and to what extent might

Does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts and to what extent might it restrict a contract term permitting variation of terms and conditions on notice?This Q&A focuses on the position of an application programming interface (API)/website owner wishing to

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal fees, will that count as a PET against their estate?A disclaimer is the refusal of a gift prior to acceptance. The refusal of the gift must take place before the beneficiary accepts any benefit
Do search engines such as Google have any liability for copyright infringement when they use processes

Do search engines such as Google have any liability for copyright infringement when they use processes

Do search engines such as Google have any liability for copyright infringement when they use processes such as web crawling and indexing to capture and display content, including text and images?Web crawling describes the process in which computer programs (often referred to as ‘bots’, ‘spiders’ or

Does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts and to what extent might

Does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts and to what extent might

Does the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply to business-to-business contracts and to what extent might it restrict a contract term permitting variation of terms and conditions on notice?This Q&A focuses on the position of an application programming interface (API)/website owner wishing to

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal fees, will that count as a PET against their estate?A disclaimer is the refusal of a gift prior to acceptance. The refusal of the gift must take place before the beneficiary accepts any benefit