Website Disclaimers and Other Notices
In a world where everyone expects the internet to provide all of the answers to all of the questions, it is important to remind your visitors that they cannot expect everything.
Website Disclaimers do just that and ensure that you are legally protected from unreasonable expectations. All disclaimers set out clearly that whilst your website uses reasonable endeavours to keep up-to-date, accurate and online, there is no guarantee of this and that users should not rely upon the information provided when making important decisions.
Other Website Notices in this subfolder include those dealing with intellectual property rights and emails.
Website Disclaimers and Other Notices is part of Business . Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Business for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a disclaimer stop someone suing me over information on my website? +
A disclaimer helps, but it does not make you sue proof. It works by setting realistic expectations and telling visitors not to rely on your content for important decisions, which reduces the chance of a successful claim. What it cannot do is exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by your negligence, which the law never allows you to exclude. For other losses, an exclusion only holds if it is reasonable or fair under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
What is the difference between a disclaimer and website terms and conditions? +
They cover different ground and are often used together. A disclaimer limits your responsibility for the accuracy of the information on your site and warns against relying on it. Website terms and conditions, or terms of use, set the rules for using the site itself, such as acceptable use, intellectual property and governing law. One manages liability for content, the other governs your relationship with the visitor.
Do I need a disclaimer if my website is just informational? +
A disclaimer is most useful precisely when your site is informational, because visitors are more likely to act on what they read. It is not a specific legal requirement, but without one you carry more risk if someone relies on out of date or mistaken content and suffers loss. The disclaimers here make clear that you take reasonable care but do not guarantee the information and that users should not treat it as professional advice.
Can a copyright or IP notice protect my website content? +
An intellectual property notice tells visitors that the text, images and branding on your site are owned by you or your licensors and sets out what they may and may not do with them. It does not create the rights, since copyright arises automatically when original work is created, but it puts users on notice and supports enforcement if someone copies your content. This sub-folder includes IP notices alongside an email disclaimer.
What is an email disclaimer for? +
An email disclaimer is the short confidentiality and liability notice often added to the foot of business emails. It typically states that the message is intended only for the named recipient, asks anyone who receives it by mistake to delete it, and manages expectations about viruses and about the email forming a contract. Its legal weight is limited and it will not by itself bind a stranger, but it is standard practice and a template version is included here.
