Terms and Conditions + Privacy policy

I do not have much of a budget to do this so want to do it myself. I have started by finding similar sites and copying parts of their TOS. Is this legal? Can you get into trouble for copying parts of peoples TOS?

 

You mean you are copying TOS. If yes TOS are similar in companies, you can change the language of your TOS. I don't think you have a problem.

 

yes just copying parts and changing the company name

 

Please dont copy and paste from other peoples sites. They might have spent hundreds on having that created, and its not right to steal it. I do look at other peoples and compare to my own to make sure that I have something reasonable, as well as to make sure that I have covered the similar points, but never copy / paste.

You can use google to find TOS or privacy policy generator, such as:
http://www.bennadel.com/coldfusion/privacy-policy-generator.htm

 

I think there is an even better reason not to just copy. The whole point of putting a Terms and Conditions page is to protect you and set the terms that apply to usage of your website. When you just copy and paste you may be causing yourself more harm than good. The terms used on any particular website change depending on many factors. These include but are obviously not limited to: Where the owner of the website resides, what type of entity owns the website, who the prospective users of the website are, what the laws are in play based on the type and usage of the website, what potential liabilities you are trying to limit. There are rules that apply in California that might not apply in other states. When you just copy and paste you might think, "well this was good enough for site XYZ, so it is good enough for me" but perhaps XYZ is trying to limit a certain kind of liability or is taking advantage of some unique law in a the state where they live which does not apply where you live.

It is actually quite foolish to just copy someone's terms and conditions without understanding why a particular provision is there and what its effect is.

 

Brown,

I love how most people think...

Well, i dont know what most of that crap means, but
it looks about right; i think ill just copy his.....

 

If you own a New York classified site and you found another New York based classified site and you read and understand the terms and they fit with what you are looking to do with your site then I don't see what is wrong with using that as a basis and either adding some things or taking away some things...
That is just my .02.