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Disclaimers (screen 14 of 17)
Your website should carry a disclaimer. This may protect you from legal action arising out of the material on your site, or even the material you link to elsewhere. Legal responses to the Internet are still evolving.
Because the Internet is a global entity it is still unclear whether laws of the land where material is accessed apply or whether the laws of the land where the material is hosted apply. It makes for uncertain times.
If your website carries information which may influence the behaviour or activities of others, which makes any claims, or is sensitive in some way, then it may be worth getting legal advice from experts about what exactly you should include in your site's disclaimer.
But make sure you have one. Also make sure that it is accessible from every screen in your site. For example, the disclaimer notice in this website is accessible from the footer menu on every screen.
A disclaimer may protect your organisation
Since you may not be able to ensure that your site is always up-to-date and accurate, a disclaimer is very important. It helps to protect you, as you publish information to millions of people in other countries operating under different legal systems. It also helps to educate and warn users.
Remember that the people who look at your site may never realise where you are publishing from.
As a part of the disclaimer you should indicate the dates over which any information is reliable. This is important for opening times or prices for goods and services - just in case you don't get around to updating your site as often as you should.
This website's disclaimer notice
- This material is made available on the understanding that the Commonwealth of Australia is not thereby engaged in rendering professional advice.
- Information on this site is maintained by the people and organisations it relates to. Before relying on the material, users should independently verify its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their purposes, and should obtain any appropriate professional advice.
- The material may include views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.
- Links to other websites are inserted for convenience and do not constitute endorsement of material at those sites, or any associated organisation, product or service.
- The listing of a person or company in any part of this website in no way implies any form of endorsement by the Commonwealth of the products or services provided by that person or company.
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