Disclaimers for your website

Your website needs disclaimers.

If you are running any kind of website at all, and you are selling things to people, you probably need to put up a disclaimer.?Disclaimers protect you from unreasonable customers, who expected more from your product or service. A disclaimer basically tells customers what your product or service cannot cover.

For example, if you are selling a course about public speaking, you have to disclaim the fact that the person's success as a public speaker would be dependent on his or her own skills. The same thing if you were selling gym equipment - the person's success with his gym equipment would depend on his exercise regime, his food regime, and others. There are often factors beyond our control, and if you are selling only a small part of the equation, you have to tell your customers that.

Examples of Earnings disclaimers for your website.

Earnings disclaimers are important to tell people that what they purchase doesn't guarantee that they would earn anything. Otherwise, your website users may hold you accountable, even though, there is little chance of success, when they think that they could squeeze some free money out from a settlement.?

Here is a rather popular one. This comes from a website that sells an online course. In the disclaimer, the language used is ordinary, and easy to understand. Here it goes:

IMPORTANT: Earnings and Legal Disclaimers

We don't believe in get-rich-quick programs. We believe in hard work, adding value and serving others. And that's what our programs are designed to help you do. As stated by law, we can not and do not make any guarantees about your own ability to get results or earn any money with our ideas, information, programs or strategies. We don't know you and, besides, your results in life are up to you. Agreed? We're here to help by giving you our greatest strategies to move you forward, faster. However, nothing on this page or any of our websites or emails is a promise or guarantee of future earnings. Any financial numbers referenced here, or on any of our sites or emails, are simply estimates or projections or past results, and should not be considered exact, actual or as a promise of potential earnings - all numbers are illustrative only.

This disclaimer tells the website user that "your results in life are up to you". It also disclaims any "future earnings". Everything else is fluff, but highly entertaining. When I checked the website, there were no numbers shared, but there was also mention of "financial numbers" -- probably something inserted just to stay safe.

It is a simple disclaimer and one you could probably use.?

Here is a longer one from the website Salesman.org:?

Disclaimer:?No Earnings Projections, Promises Or Representations

You recognize and agree that we have made no implications, warranties, promises, suggestions, projections, representations or guarantees whatsoever to you about future prospects or earnings, or that you will earn any money, with respect to your purchase of Salesman.org products and/or services, and that we have not authorized any such projection, promise, or representation by others.

Any earnings or income statements, or any earnings or income examples, are only estimates of what we think you could earn. There is no assurance you will do as well as stated in any examples. If you rely upon any figures provided, you must accept the entire risk of not doing as well as the information provided. This applies whether the earnings or income examples are monetary in nature or pertain to advertising credits which may be earned (whether such credits are convertible to cash or not).

There is no assurance that any prior successes or past results as to earnings or income (whether monetary or advertising credits, whether convertible to cash or not) will apply, nor can any prior successes be used, as an indication of your future success or results from any of the information, content, or strategies. Any and all claims or representations as to income or earnings (whether monetary or advertising credits, whether convertible to cash or not) are not to be considered as “average earnings”.

(i)?The Economy.?The economy, both where you do business, and on a national and even worldwide scale, creates additional uncertainty and economic risk. An economic recession or depression might negatively affect the results produced by Salesman.org products and/or services.

(ii)?Your Success Or Lack Of It.?Your success in using the information or strategies provided at Salesman.org depends on a variety of factors. We have no way of knowing how well you will do, as we do not know you, your background, your work ethic, your dedication, your motivation, your desire, or your business skills or practices. Therefore, we do not guarantee or imply that you will get rich, that you will do as well, or that you will have any earnings (whether monetary or advertising credits, whether convertible to cash or not), at all.

Internet businesses and earnings derived therefrom, involve unknown risks and are not suitable for everyone. You may not rely on any information presented on the website or otherwise provided by us, unless you do so with the knowledge and understanding that you can experience significant losses (including, but not limited to, the loss of any monies paid to purchase Salesman.org products and/or services, and/or any monies spent setting up, operating, and/or marketing Salesman.org products and/or services, and further, that you may have no earnings at all (whether monetary or advertising credits, whether convertible to cash or not).

(iii)?Forward-Looking Statements.?MATERIALS CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE OR IN MATERIALS PURCHASED AND/OR DOWNLOADED FROM THIS WEBSITE MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES OR IS BASED UPON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS GIVE OUR EXPECTATIONS OR FORECASTS OF FUTURE EVENTS. YOU CAN IDENTIFY THESE STATEMENTS BY THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT RELATE STRICTLY TO HISTORICAL OR CURRENT FACTS. THEY USE WORDS SUCH AS “ANTICIPATE,” “ESTIMATE,” “EXPECT,” “PROJECT,” “INTEND,” “PLAN,” “BELIEVE,” AND OTHER WORDS AND TERMS OF SIMILAR MEANING IN CONNECTION WITH A DESCRIPTION OF POTENTIAL EARNINGS OR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.

ANY AND ALL FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS HERE, IN OTHER MATERIALS CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE OR IN MATERIALS PURCHASED AND/OR DOWNLOADED FROM THIS WEBSITE ARE INTENDED TO EXPRESS OUR OPINION OF EARNINGS POTENTIAL. MANY FACTORS WILL BE IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING YOUR ACTUAL RESULTS AND NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE RESULTS SIMILAR TO OURS OR ANYBODY ELSE, IN FACT NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE ANY RESULTS FROM OUR IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES IN OUR MATERIAL.

(iv)?Due Diligence.?You are advised to do your own due diligence when it comes to making business decisions and should use caution and seek the advice of qualified professionals. You should check with your accountant, lawyer, or professional advisor, before acting on this or any information. You may not consider any examples, documents, or other content on the website or otherwise provided by us to be the equivalent of professional advice. Nothing contained on the website or in materials available for sale or download on the website provides professional advice in any way. You should consult with your own accountant, lawyer, or professional advisor for any questions you may have.

We assume no responsibility for any losses or damages resulting from your use of any link, information, or opportunity contained within the website or within any information disclosed by the owner of this site in any form whatsoever.

(v)?Purchase Price. Although we believe the price is fair for the value that you receive, you understand and agree that the purchase price for Salesman.org products and/or services has been arbitrarily set by us. This price bears no relationship to objective standards.

This disclaimer is more detailed, and lays out a number of scenarios that are beyond the control of the website owner. But put simply it is also a disclaimer for earnings. It looks more fancy, but the meaning of the words are the same.?

Now, let's move on to ...

Disclaimer on Type of Service Provided

There are times when you sell products that address a pain point. For example, you could come up with a book on business strategies. But would it be a substitute for financial and legal advice? Probably not! But, your buyer might not see things that way. For that reason, you should probably insert a disclaimer that disclaims the product as a substitute for these types of professional advice: Legal advice, financial advice, medical advice, or other kinds of advice as related to the nature of the product.

Here is an example of a line that I frequently use when writing a blog:?

This article is not meant to provide legal advice. Please consult with a qualified lawyer before making any decision or taking any action. In any case, we have not prepared this article with your specific situation in mind.?

Here are some other disclaimers that you could use for the same effect. The first is called "No Advice".

No Advice.?We have not provided you with any investment, financial, or tax advice. Instead, we have advised you to consult with your own legal and financial advisors and tax experts.

The second is called "Not Legal, Tax, or Investment Advice."

Not Legal, Tax, or Investment Advice.?We are not providing specific insurance, tax or investment advice to any individual viewing the content of the Websites. The content on the Websites is not intended and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. The content provided does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or an offer to sell financial or insurance products. For information that is specific to your situation, consult with your attorney or tax advisor. The material provided on the Sites, including the blogs, is intended to potentially assist you in planning for your future and insurance planning. We are not responsible for the consequences of any decisions or actions taken in reliance upon or as a result of the content made available on the Websites.

Here is one for a cryptocurrency website, called "Not Financial Advice".

No Financial Advice.?As part of the Cryptocurrency Service, we may provide information on the price, range, or volatility of the Supported Cryptocurrencies and events that have affected the price of cryptocurrencies. Any such information provided is solely for your personal use and you may not redistribute it to any third party. We will not however provide you with any advice in connection with the Cryptocurrency Service therefore you should not rely on any information provided (whether provided directly by us or via the Cryptocurrency Exchange) - any decision to buy or sell an interest in a Supported Cryptocurrency rests with you. If you are unsure about whether a transaction involving Cryptocurrency is suitable for you and your circumstances you should contact an independent financial adviser.

Finally, here is one for a stablecoin website called "VXL Dollar".?

No Financial Advice.?VXL DOLLAR is not your broker, intermediary, agent, or advisor and has no fiduciary relationship or obligation to you in connection with any trades or other decisions or activities effected by you using VXL DOLLAR Services. No communication or information provided to you by VXL DOLLAR is intended as, or shall be considered or construed as, investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice. Unless otherwise specified in these Terms, all trades are executed automatically, based on the parameters of your order instructions and in accordance with posted trade execution procedures, and you are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, investment strategy or related transaction is appropriate for you according to your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances and risk tolerance, and you shall be solely responsible for any loss or liability therefrom. You should consult legal or tax professionals regarding your specific situation. VXL DOLLAR does not recommend that any Digital Asset should be bought, earned, sold, or held by you. Before making the decision to buy, sell or hold any Digital Asset, you should conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisors prior to making any investment decision. VXL DOLLAR will not be held responsible for the decisions you make to buy, sell, or hold Digital Asset based on the information provided by VXL DOLLAR.

Disclaimers for your Web3 game

I couldn't find any disclaimers out there, but, I figure that there must be some of these Web3 game disclaimers floating on the Internet. In any case, here is one that I cobbled off the top of my head:

Disclaimer of Web3 Game Performance and Experience. The Web3 game on this website is experimental and incorporates the use of experimental technologies which are updated frequently. Updates may cause functionality to break. In addition, the performance of the web3 game and your enjoyment of it would depend on a number of factors beyond the control of the publishers, such as your hardware specifications, your network speed, the state of Internet congestion, compatibility of hardware and software, and software dependencies which need to be installed for the Web3 game to work. In any case, the Web3 game may cause your computer to malfunction. You agree to absolve the Web3 game publishers from any claim of liability or damages suffered by you as a result of installing this Web3 game. Our Web3 game is reliant on software libraries which may become out of date, or cease to be licensed for any reason whatsoever. This Web3 game is not guaranteed to work with your operating system, whether today or in future. You should not connect your Web3 wallet to the Web3 game except for purposes of signing into your account. In any case, you must only download the Web3 game from its official website.

I hope it will be a helpful one for those of you building up Web3 games! (Also: If you're making a Web3 game, that's awesome!)

I disclaim this article!?

If you are reading this article, I would like to thank you for your time. However, I have to disclaim that this article is, in any way, to be treated as legal advice. (See, I have to take my own advice and put into practice the wisdom that I put out into the world. Guy Kawasaki called it "Eating your own dog food.")

Having said that, I am a licensed lawyer providing services in this area, and if you are seeking legal services for writing disclaimers for your website, you are welcome to get in touch.?

Thanks for reading!

Note: This article was originally published over at CryptoLegal.info, a website that I am working on as part of the Cardano Project Catalyst F8.