How to Write a Blog Disclaimer

Blogging, , , , , , , , , , , , , 26 Comments

If you saw the title of this post and thought ‘wait, should my blog have a disclaimer?’ then don’t worry. I was in the same place up until a couple of weeks ago.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but when you first start a blog, doesn’t it seem like there are a million things to learn? Between building your site, deciding on a theme, and figuring out SEO, blogging feels like an endless cycle of information. I think that’s what makes it so easy to forget about something like a disclaimer page. With all these other things taking up your time, it simply doesn’t appear important, even though it very much is.

Today I thought that I would share a little bit of information on blog disclaimers and explain what everything in mine means. I really didn’t want to make any changes to my site without going into detail about them, so hopefully this will give you a clear idea of why I added this page.

What is a blog disclaimer? In essence, a blog disclaimer prevents a reader from pursuing legal action against a blogger for problems that they have with the information on the blog. It’s basically a way for bloggers to protect themselves and their work.

Here’s a screenshot of my blog disclaimer:

disclaimer 1

disclaimer 2

What does it mean? 

Terms of Use

This explains that I cannot guarantee that any information I share on my blog is accurate and effective. The terms of use section explains that the blogger (me) is not legally responsible for any inaccuracies or issues with the information. In my opinion, this is the most important section to include in your disclaimer. It’s crucial that readers know that the information posted to your blog is for personal use and is not certifiably correct.

Copyright 

The copyright section simply informs the reader that the content on your blog is created and owned by you. Here is a good place to explain your policies regarding republishing or reprinting your work. In my disclaimer, I state that I have no problems with my content being redistributed, providing the person wanting to reprint or republish my work asks for my permission first. Regardless of if your policies are similar or different, I suggest you include them in the copyright area.

Photos

If photos or graphics are a big part of your blog, it’s important to say that images on your blog belong to you unless it is otherwise stated. If you allow people to repost your photos, explain your policies here.

Incoming links

This section informs readers that you cannot control other sources that link to your blog content. If another site provides a link to your blog, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re associated with it.

Comments 

The comments section is pretty much up to your discretion. In this area, I explain that I reserve the right to delete comments from my blog. I also include the basic criteria that I look for in deleting a comment. This helps give readers an understanding of why their comments may have been removed from your blog.

Privacy

Here I explain that I will not sell my readers’ personal information, nor submit it to spam lists. It’s important for your readers to know that you value and respect their privacy, and that reading your blog will not result in a violation of that privacy.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope this made it easier to understand how crucial it is to protect your blog legally and clarified what my blog disclaimer actually entails. If you have any other questions regarding my disclaimer (or disclaimers in general), I’ll be happy to answer them. While I’m not a lawyer or a blogging expert, I’ve done a decent amount of research on this topic and would be happy to help.

 

Do you have a blog disclaimer? 

Sincerely,

Paige

Instagram  | Twitter | Bloglovin | Pinterest | Facebook 

26 thoughts on “How to Write a Blog Disclaimer”

  4. Actually I do have one for my pet shipping business http://www.airborneanimals.com, but hadn’t thought about it for the blog. Such a good idea! I took time tonight to sit down and add a disclaimer page. Unfortunately in today’s society, we should all have a disclaimer as a matter of course to protect ourselves in a very litigious society. I am normally a very positive person, but a disclaimer just makes sense to have.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I originally have just tossed a general disclaimer up for the time being as I’ve been uber busy with life. But thanks to this I think that I’m going to sit one free weekend and do some Disclaimer page work. ❤ Love the blogging advice posts!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. This is just what I am looking for after seeing a disclaimer on another page. Thank you for the helpful info! I am going to get mine in process today. I think in a widget on the side of every page and post? Yes, there is so much to learn!! Blog-itis Fog-itis Brain all this week here…. Thanks again!

    Like

    Reply
  12. Pingback: My Best Blogging Advice – Currently, Lately
  13. Pingback: Four Apps You NEED As A Blogger – Currently, Lately

  14. I just asked about this type of thing in one of my Facebook groups for bloggers! I’m preparing to switch to self-hosting in the next few months and I knew this was a key part but I had no idea how to go about it. I found your blog and this post at the absolute perfect time! Very informative and incredibly helpful! There are many areas that you talked about that I wouldn’t have thought to include.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. Pingback: Working With Brands – Currently, Lately

Leave a comment