
Get exclusive money-saving offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
Updated
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
If you're wondering whether you need a disclaimer for your website, the answer is, yes. Disclaimers are a common defence businesses use against legal claims and it should be one of the first things you pop on your website.
All that legalese might look intimidating but writing your own disclaimer is easier than you think. Read on for more about when you should use a disclaimer, how to write your own and where you can find free templates to take the guesswork out of it.
A website disclaimer is an official statement that helps protect your business from legal liability. It notifies readers of your website that your products, services, information and advice may harm them and that you cannot be held liable.
A website disclaimer can also advise users that your content and intellectual property is protected.
Download this template at Lawpath
A website disclaimer can be used in several places on your site. Many businesses have a separate page just for the disclaimer and place a link to this in the footer of each page. You can also add the website disclaimer to your website terms and conditions.
When launching your website, there are many legal elements that need to be included to make sure your business covers itself. Two that can be confused and sometimes used interchangeably are a website disclaimer and website terms and conditions.
A website disclaimer protects you from claims of liability and states that you are not to be held liable for anything that anyone does with the information found on your website.
Your website terms and conditions, on the other hand, are the general rules of using your website. They state the terms that visitors to your website, users of your services or purchasers of your products must agree to.
While they could all look the same to the casual observer, one size doesn't fit all. A health and wellness business will not have the same elements as an ecommerce business, for example, as each will need to have unique clauses to cover the content on their websites.
Generally speaking, these are some of the most common components you will find in a website disclaimer.
If your website contains links to other websites you can include a disclaimer that you do not endorse these links and will not be held responsible for interactions between the third parties and your website visitors.
Any information or advice given by a qualified or registered professional, such as a lawyer, doctor or accountant is considered professional information.
When your website contains information that could be seen as professional, a disclaimer that the content is not professional advice and informational only may help protect you from any negative experiences your visitors might experience by relying on the information provided.
An affiliate program is an arrangement where a website posts links to a merchant site and receives compensation when a visitor makes a purchase or clicks on one of the links.
According to Australian Consumer Law, you are required to disclose affiliate links to your website visitors.
Testimonials are statements by clients or customers of your business describing the user experience or results with particular services or products. Testimonials are also covered by Australian Consumer Law.
While not generally required under any specific law, a website disclaimer helps you avoid legal liability in many instances. When you include the right language in your disclaimer, visitors to your website may be restricted on what claims they can bring against your business.
Practically, a website disclaimer can be used by the courts to determine the intent of your business and website practices and the extent of liability for your website content.
No, you do not need a lawyer to help you write a website disclaimer. Most businesses will find a website disclaimer template is sufficient but if you do have a large website or a complicated business structure, you should consider legal advice to make sure you've covered all your legal bases.
Knowing how to write a disclaimer for your site could be a confusing process. There are no real regulatory requirements for you to follow and it's inadvisable to copy another website's disclaimer as each website and business is unique.
When writing your own website disclaimer, it's important to consider the legal challenges that could impact the long-term success of your business. Using a website disclaimer template takes the guesswork out of the process and with many free and low-cost options available online, there's no real reason to go it alone.
It has dashing good looks and stands out from the crowd, but is the Peugeot 508 GT worth your money?
From the best overall face moisturiser for dry skin to the best body moisturiser, hand moisturiser and tinted moisturiser for dry skin, these are the best 7 moisturisers for dry skin you can buy in Australia right now.
These are the 6 best Ukuleles you can buy right now in Australia.
Find out what to include in a web developer resume and how a customisable template could help you land your dream job.
How to snag and what to expect from your house sitting gig.
Read the key points of starting a YouTube channel, including the equipment you'll need and the legal considerations to keep in mind.
From practical steps to key legal documents, here's your checklist for launching an event photography company.
Discover great destinations for campervan relocations for your adventure across Australia.
A UCapital unsecured business loan can provide up to $300,000 without security, with repayment terms between 3 and 12 months.
Pay no interest on your credit card debt and clear it faster with a 0% balance transfer credit card. Compare and apply here.