Who is responsible for the content posted by Coffee News franchisees on social media?
Coffee_News Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
It is acknowledged that the Franchisees are responsible for their own content posted or published through the social media and are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations and third-party site terms and conditions. Coffee News will not have any liability for the Franchisee's use of social-media sites. Additionally, Coffee News does not have responsibility or obligation for monitoring Franchisee's compliance with such laws, regulations, and third-party terms and conditions. Any approval by Coffee News of the use of social media sites or monitoring thereof does not constitute a representation that the Franchisees are in compliance with these laws, regulations or terms and conditions. The Franchisees are responsible for monitoring their own employees, representatives, agents, etc. to ensure compliance with these requirements set forth in the Policies.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 36–118)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Coffee News's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are responsible for the content they post on social media. This includes complying with all applicable laws, regulations, and the terms and conditions of any third-party sites they use. Coffee News USA, Inc. assumes no liability for a franchisee's use of social media and has no obligation to monitor a franchisee's compliance with these requirements. Franchisees are also responsible for ensuring that their employees, representatives, and agents comply with these policies.
This means that a Coffee News franchisee must exercise caution and diligence in managing their social media presence. They need to ensure that all content is truthful, non-misleading, and does not infringe on the rights of others. Franchisees should also avoid posting confidential or proprietary information, defaming competitors, or engaging in any unethical or illegal behavior. Furthermore, franchisees must adhere to advertising guidelines, such as disclosing any compensation received for promoting products.
Coffee News does reserve the right to monitor franchisees' social media use to protect its brand. The company can remove, or require a franchisee to remove, any content that violates the Social Media Policy, laws, or regulations, or that Coffee News deems inconsistent with its trademarks or logo. Franchisees are also required to include disclaimers indicating that their views and content do not necessarily reflect the position of Coffee News.
While franchisees are responsible for their content, Coffee News provides guidelines and may offer content for franchisees to use to maintain brand consistency. Additionally, any goodwill generated from a franchisee's social media account belongs to Coffee News, and the company reserves the right of ownership to these accounts, their content, and associated domain names. Therefore, franchisees must balance their responsibility for content with Coffee News's oversight and brand protection efforts.