Businesses using the internet and computer-based communications are letting themselves in for a "legal minefield" unless the correct steps are taken, an industry specialist has stated.

Spokesman for the Forum of Private Business Phil McCabe stated that things said off the record may pose a threat to a company's credibility and cause legal problems should anybody use emails to communicate with others when not dealing with business.

He explained: "Regulations introduced under the Companies Act 2006, which came into force on October 1st 2008, stipulate that on every email, and within a firm's website, the company name, number, place of registration and registered office address must be displayed."

Mr McCabe added that other less obvious dangers were also present in modern-day technology-led business, with regulations also requiring firms to display a number of details if they are trading online, including rules covering copyright, data protection and privacy.

The Companies Act 2006 sections 82 and 85 governs this area, also requiring companies to notify the Information Commissioner's Office should website visitors' details be stored.

A recent Connect survey found that the two major concerns about outsourcing services like IT support were 'loss of control' (56 per cent) and 'budget over-runs' (43 per cent)