Wikipedia:Non-Wikipedia disclaimers

Reports have sometimes cited the Wikipedia disclaimers to support claims that Wikipedia is unreliable. Here is a selection from the disclaimers of sources which are often regarded as reliable.

• Encyclopædia Britannica (disclaimer) "IN NO EVENT SHALL BRITANNICA, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, SHAREHOLDERS, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS AND LICENSORS, OR CONTENT PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL (INCLUDING LOSS OF REVENUE OR INCOME, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, OR SIMILAR DAMAGES), INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE USE, INABILITY TO USE, AUTHORIZED USE, PERFORMANCE, OR NONPERFORMANCE OF THIS SITE, EVEN IF BRITANNICA WAS PREVIOUSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARISE IN CONTRACT, TORT, UNDER STATUTE, IN EQUITY, AT LAW, OR OTHERWISE."
  • Since 2004, it also contained the following text: THE SERVICES AND ALL INFORMATION, PRODUCTS, AND OTHER CONTENT INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (EXPRESS, IMPLIED, AND STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE), ALL OF WHICH BRITANNICA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
• Encarta online (disclaimer): We provide the service "as-is," "with all faults" and "as available." We do not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of information available from the service.
• Columbia Encyclopedia (on Bartleby.com) (disclaimer): "YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. NEITHER BARTLEBY, ITS AFFILIATES, NOR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS, OR LICENSORS WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. NOR DO THEY MAKE ANY WARRANTY AS TO THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE, OR AS TO THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, COMPLETENESS, OR CONTENTS OF ANY CONTENT, INFORMATION, MATERIAL, POSTINGS, OR POSTING RESPONSES FOUND ON THE SERVICE"
• Associated Press (disclaimer) "AP MAKES NO REPRESENTATION, NEITHER EXPRESSLY NOR IMPLIEDLY, AS TO THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS OR RELIABILITY OF THE MATERIALS OR ANY INFORMATION ON THIS WEB SITE".
• The New York Times (disclaimer) "Neither NYTD nor NYTimes.com represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through the Service by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk."
• The Wall Street Journal (disclaimer) "YOU AGREE THAT YOUR ACCESS TO, AND USE OF, THE SERVICES AND THE CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICES IS ON AN "AS-IS", "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS AND WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE... DOW JONES AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, SHAREHOLDERS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND LICENSORS ("THE DOW JONES PARTIES") WILL NOT BE LIABLE (JOINTLY OR SEVERALLY) TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON AS A RESULT OF YOUR ACCESS OR USE OF THE SERVICES FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS AND LOST REVENUES (COLLECTIVELY, THE "EXCLUDED DAMAGES"), WHETHER OR NOT CHARACTERIZED IN NEGLIGENCE, TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, EVEN IF ANY OF THE DOW JONES PARTIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF OR COULD HAVE FORESEEN ANY OF THE EXCLUDED DAMAGES, AND IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY FAILURE OF AN ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF A LIMITED REMEDY. IF ANY APPLICABLE AUTHORITY HOLDS ANY PORTION OF THIS SECTION TO BE UNENFORCEABLE, THEN THE DOW JONES PARTIES' LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST POSSIBLE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW."
• Syracuse Post-Standard (disclaimer) "EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF ACCURACY, RELIABILITY ... INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY INFORMATION"
• CNN (disclaimer) "SUBSCRIBER EXPRESSLY AGREES THAT USE OF CNN INTERACTIVE IS AT SUBSCRIBER'S SOLE RISK. NEITHER CNN, ITS AFFILIATES NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS OR LICENSORS WARRANT THAT CNN INTERACTIVE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE; NOR DO THEY MAKE ANY WARRANTY AS TO THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM USE OF CNN INTERACTIVE, OR AS TO THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OR CONTENT OF ANY INFORMATION, SERVICE, OR MERCHANDISE PROVIDED THROUGH CNN INTERACTIVE."
• Oxford English Dictionary (disclaimer) "Oxford University Press makes no warranties or representations of any kind concerning the accuracy or suitability of the information contained on this web site for any purpose. All such information is provided "as is" and with specific disclaimer of any warranties of merchantability, fitness for purpose, title and/or non-infringement. Oxford University Press makes no warranties or representations of any kind that the services provided by this web site will be uninterrupted, [or] error-free [...] In no event shall Oxford University Press, its employees or agents be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential damages resulting from the use of this web site. This exclusion and limitation only applies to the extent permitted by law and is without prejudice to any express provisions to the contrary in any written licence or subscription agreement from Oxford University Press in respect of the use of any online service provided via this web site."
• Los Angeles Times (disclaimer) "While latimes.com uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information, we make no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the Content and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omission in the Content. [...] USE OF latimes.com IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. ALL CONTENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE." NEITHER TI, latimes.com, NOR ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATED OR RELATED COMPANIES, NOR ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTENT PROVIDERS OR LICENSORS OF ANY OF THEM, MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND REGARDING latimes.com, THE CONTENT, ANY ADVERTISING MATERIAL, INFORMATION, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH latimes.com, AND/OR THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM USE OF latimes.com OR SUCH CONTENT OR SERVICES. ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WARRANTIES AGAINST INFRINGEMENT, AND WARRANTIES latimes.com WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE OR ERROR FREE, ARE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED."
• The Washington Post (disclaimer) "This Service is available "as is." We do not warrant that this Service will be uninterrupted or error-free. There may be delays, omissions, interruptions and inaccuracies in the news, information or other materials available through this Service. [...] We do not make any warranties, express or implied, including without limitation, those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to this Service or any information or goods that are available or advertised or sold through this Service. We do not make any representations, nor do we endorse the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other material or database displayed, uploaded or distributed in this Service or available though links in this Service. [...] If you rely on this Service and any materials available through this Service, you do so solely at your own risk. 8. WP Company LLC, and its parent and affiliates, and their directors, officers, managers, employees, shareholders, agents and licensors are not liable for incidental, indirect, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages of any kind, including lost revenues or profits, loss of business or loss of data, in any way related to this Service or for any claim, loss or injury based on errors, omissions, interruptions or other inaccuracies in this Service (including without limitation as a result of breach of any warranty or other term of this Agreement)."

[edit] Further reading

• When It Comes to Content, Caveat Surfer The Washington Post, September 18, 2004; Page A24 (letter to the editor)