If you are selling patterns or tutorials on your website (or even if you are giving them away for free), you’ll likely need some legal notices and disclosures.
For example, you’ll need a copyright notice to let people know that they aren’t free to re-distribute your work.
You may also need a disclaimer, in order to protect yourself from someone’s misuse, negligence, or ANY possible reason someone might find to come after you.
And, if you use any affiliate links, you’ll need to disclose that as well.
I’d like to make it very clear that I am not a lawyer, and you should definitely seek professional advice regarding this topic.
With that being said, I just want to provide you with a few examples of the disclosures I’ve been using in my own tutorials, and on my website. I hope you can use these for ideas (changing personal details, of course), but again, I am not a lawyer, and you should still seek the advice of one.
My Copyright Page.
This one is a big deal to me, so I have a page at both the beginning and end of all of my tutorials, explaining my copyright. I say it in both legalese and regular speak. Here’s what it looks like:
Important: Please read the following!
This publication is for the use of the purchaser only. It is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to give or sell this tutorial to anyone else.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher, Staci Ann Lowry.
This document may NOT be shared online in any form, including any groups, social pages, blogs, websites, or in any other form, without the prior written consent of Staci Ann Lowry.
__________________________________
Note: Please do not share this tutorial anywhere, online, or offline. I’ve put a ton of work, time, and love into each of my patterns, and it really hurts my business when they are illegally shared.
If you do know someone else who would like to learn to make these ornaments, I would appreciate very much if you would direct them to THIS page on my blog {I provide a link right here}, rather than share this tutorial.
Thank you so much for respecting my work…I truly appreciate it!
Liability Disclaimer.
I add this to the last page of my tutorial, directly under my copyright notice:
The product created using this document contains pins and other materials which could be hazardous to children and pets. Keep away from children and pets. In no event shall The Ornament Girl, LLC, or Staci Ann Lowry, be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special consequential damages, to property or life, whatsoever arising out of or connected with the use or misuse of this document, or any products created through the direction contained in this document.
Affiliate Link Disclosure.
Sometimes I include affiliate links in my patterns and tutorials (I’ve got a video right HERE showing you how you can do this as well). When using affiliate links, you MUST disclose it. Here is what I use:
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this document are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. However, I only recommend products that I use personally in the creation of this product, and that I believe will help readers of this document in creating the product themselves. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I hope these examples are helpful to you.
