If you are writing about a discount or another
special offer, be specific, and include any limitations on
availability of the offer. | For each country or region where the offer is
valid, give any price information in the currency unit for the
country or region, and mention any taxes for the country or
region that apply. |
Specify the “where and when” of events, products,
contests, and special offers. | Specify where events, products, contests, and
special offers are available, and use
only if necessary to exclude any
place not specifically mentioned. State
where items can be shipped, and note any additional
charges, including international shipping, if
appropriate. State an expiration date, if there is one. If the
offer is limited to available inventory, say so. If release dates or events differ by country
or region, provide a link to a list of release dates or
give information that can be customized based on the
user’s location. Include contact information for customers outside
of the United States.
|
Use standard legal language. | Include legal statements that are required in countries
or regions. A copyright or trade lawyer can help you determine
what you must do to comply with Internet, copyright, privacy,
and business laws in various countries and
regions. |
Be aware of privacy laws in other countries. | None |
Use copyright and trademark information correctly. | In online content, you can include a link to
copyright and legal information that can be updated for
specific countries or regions. |
Know the restrictions on product claims. | Marketing statements and political statements are
restricted by law in some countries and regions.
Do not compare one product with another product. Some
countries and regions have strict requirements of documented
proof for such comparisons. Others require the permission of
the competitor. Still others restrict specific comparisons
such as “more clip art than Brand X” (where Brand X is a named
product). Do not use superlatives, such as, “The
world’s best word processor.” It is all right to compare your
product with earlier versions of the same product, such as,
“Our fastest version yet.” Third-party
recommendations must be provided willingly. Paid endorsements are illegal in some countries and
regions. |
Include any media ratings required in the countries and
regions where your product will be distributed. | For example, game software and hardware may
require an epilepsy warning in some countries or
regions. |
Be aware of restrictions on using names of people, places, and
landmarks. | The use of names of people, places, and landmarks is
restricted by law in some countries and regions. Do not name
countries or regions, cities, or land features in disputed
areas, and avoid showing them on maps. Errors in names or
boundaries of disputed territory can be highly offensive and
even illegal in some countries or regions. |
Ensure that you can legally use the third-party content that you want to
use. | Ensure that you are legally permitted to
distribute licensed third-party content worldwide, and check
whether worldwide distribution affects royalties. Check expiration dates on third-party licensing, and
ensure that you can remove the content before the license
expires. Verify that copyright statements protect the content
anywhere that it may be seen. Check for restrictions on
imported content in countries or regions where your product or
website is likely to be used. For example, maps are often
subject to government review before they can be imported. And
some of the free clip art that is available on Microsoft
websites is provide by third-parties and may not be available
for us to use freely in content. |
Be aware of download requirements. | Exercise care when providing software for
download or on a multi-product CD. United States laws restrict
the delivery of certain information and technology
internationally. Verify that providing the download will not
break United States laws. |
