SaaS Startups: Legal task to do if you launch a new feature

Maya

Informations

• Publié par: termsfeed
• Publié le: 30 juin 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• Licence : Tous droits réservés
• Langue: English

Extrait

What to do if your SaaS app launched a new feature

The onset of SaaS growth

SaaS stands for “software as a service.” It offers a way to provide applications over the Internet without users needing to install and maintain software on their devices. Instead, they access it online knowing it is always current.

Companies and individual users invest in SaaS for several reasons, but mainly for the following advantages: Lower initial costs, Less maintenance, Predictable costs and Access from anywhere.

Examples

Office 365 adds new features fairly frequently and also presents a seemingly never-ending supply of new templates for documents, spreadsheets, websites, and presentations. Also, it offers additional features for managing emails, calendars, and online meetings.

Another popular SaaS example includesSlack(1), a recent business communication tool. Starting out as an instant message app, Slack now features hashtags for categorizing conversations, search func- tions, and the ability to drag, drop, and share files.

(1) https://slack.com/

However, constantly changing a SaaS product produces a new challenge.

Updating legal agreements

as your app expands

Every time you add a feature or make major features, you’ll need to reconsider your policies, including any of the following legal agreements your app may already have:

- - - -

Terms and Conditions or Terms of Service Privacy Policy Acceptable Use Policy And so on

When to update the agreements

Generally, if the feature affects how data or privacy is handled, you’ll need to make adjustments to your Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy agreement.

However, if the changes merely fix bugs or change the app layout without any effects on data or privacy, you don’t need to change your policies.

Informing users of updates

Email

Announcing new changes to the app is also a good time to inform users of new developments for your company and the growing popu- larity of the app. Email is a good way to do this because you can add graphics and explain the exciting news for your company.

Dropbox used email when it changed itsTerms of Service(2) to a wider global audience. It also explained its new services which went beyond the usual Dropbox: Dropbox for Business, Carousel, and Mail- box.

(2) https://www.dropbox.com/privacy#terms

Hi there,

If you're a user living outside of North America(U.S., Canada, Mexico), we're updating our Terms of Ser- vice to better serveyou and the growing number of Dropbox users around the world. These changes include theft that we'll be providing our services(including Dropbox, Dropbox for Business, Carousel, and Mailbox)to you via Drop- box Ireland starting on June 1, 2015. Please note that none ofour services orfeatures are changing as a result ofthis. You can read the updated terms at https://www.dropbox.com/terms.

Have questions about these changes? Visit our Help Center.

Thanksfor usingDropbox, The Dropbox Team

Announcements

Dropbox placed an announcement on its website.

Anyone who clicked onits “Terms of Service”(3) could also see the same information indicated in the email, but this time, in a format likely to attract attention.

Placing announcements at sign-in could be more effective than making users have to visit a Terms of Service tab.

Microsoft(4) took this approach when it make its own changes to its privacy and use policies.

(3) https://www.dropbox.com/terms (4) https://www.microsoft.com