Mewujudkan 'Penafian' di Blog

Sebelum aku aktif dengan weblog pyejal.blogspot.com ni, aku ada buat bacaan tentang pentingnya menyediakan penafian atau bahasa orang putihnya "disclaimers". Jadi selepas aku semak dan kajian implikasi  penafian ini ada pada weblog, aku semakin jelas dan sedar - "penting juga sebenarnya untuk setiap blog mewujudkan terma² penafian pada weblog masing². Almaklumlah sekarang ni, sikit² mahkamah, sikit² saman. Boleh tak duduk berbincang baik²?"

Secara dasarnya, amat bagus kalau setiap blog ada Penafian, ianya sedikit sebanyak membantu melindungi penulis dan pemilik blog daripada hal² berkaitan guaman dan pendakwaan. Mewujudkan Penafian tidaklah seratus peratus sama macam ayat dalam buku undang², penafian boleh juga direka dengan memasukkan sedikit elemen² menyeronokkan seolah² anda sedang membaca karangan budak sekolah, ringkas serta padat. Walau bagaimanapun, isi kandungan utama setiap perenggan mestilah tidak lari daripada tujuan asal Penafian diwujudkan - melindungi pemilik dan kandungan weblog tersebut.

Satu blog yang aku jumpa menyatakan penulis blog berkenaan [nama dirahsiakan] telah berhubung dengan peguam untuk mendapatkan kepastian terhadap kandungan penafian yang diwujudkannya. Itu sesuatu yang  baik sebenarnya dan peguam berkenaan menekankan perkara berikut:

"Mujurlah, terdapat satu badan pelbagai artikel kajian caselaw dan undang-undang mengenai penafian laman web. Bagaimanapun, berhati-hati adalah wajar apabila merujuk kepada  beberapa kes yang terdahulu. Dunia blog adalah interaksi yang sangat dinamik - betul-betul seperti perbualan "kaku" [dalam bentuk mesej]. Hakim akan melihat perbezaan yang ada pada konsep blog ini sebagai penting. Lagipun, sesi memberi komen dan menjawap komen kelihatan seperti nasihat/pendapat yang boleh dipercayai - untuk faedah atau menggugat kepentingan yang memberi komen itu?"

Kata kunci yang ingin difokuskan adalah pada terma "perbualan" yang wujud melalui komen. Dari segi undang², dengan menjawab sesuatu komen, penulis blog [secara tidak langsung] digelar sebagai pemudah cara [moderator] yang merujuk kepada "komunikasi terus" [direct communication] yang seterusnya menjadikan penulis sebagai seorang yang pakar dalam sesuatu isu yang dibincangkan - walhal, mungkin penulis bukanlah seorang pakar dalam bidang berkenaan sebenarnya. Makanya, penafian yang diwujudkan mestilah jelas menyatakan bahawa anda [penulis blog], tidak bertanggungjawab sebagai pakar dan apa² jua pendapat atau nasihat yang mungkin menjadi rujukan orang lain.

Dalam "Cara Tulis Penafian Blog" oleh Website Made Simple, beliau menyatakan beberapa perkara asas untuk menulis penafian dan memberi beberapa contoh penafian yang panjang dan berbeza penafian mengikut kategori blog.

Satu penafian blog menjadi sangat² perlu hari ini. Terutamanya dengan semua orang gemar  menyaman pada dan tidak menyebut kelakuan semulajadi kita untuk menderhaka kepada mana-mana sistem atau undang-undang. Sebagai amalan banyak anda dimasukkan ke dalam blog yang bertanggungjawab, anda akan tersandung apabila keadaan tidak dapat dielakkan di mana anda berlaku untuk menyinggung perasaan seseorang.

Berikut antara perkara penting yang korang perlu masukkan di dalam Penafian [dalam English]

What Should Be In A Blog’s Disclaimer?

A blog disclaimer can say anything, but here are some things that you may consider if you are putting together your own disclaimer.

• Content Validity: A blog is always in transition. The information you publish today might not be valid or accurate two weeks or two years from now. Content, sources, information and links change over time, so make sure your protect yourself from the natural evolution of blog content.
• Content Accuracy: We all make mistakes. The disclaimer should take the accuracy and validity of your blog’s content into account.
• External Links: What you link to reflects back on your blog. I made the mistake recently of publishing a link inaccurately, linking to a porn site. It was quickly fixed, but mistakes happen. URLs and domains change hands. Protect yourself in your blog’s disclaimer from what is at the end of a link,, as well as from those linking to you.
• Photographs and Graphic Images: If you are using images that are not yours, then say so. If they are, make sure you claim them and hold yourself harmless from any harm caused by the images, such as offending someone.
• Files, Programs, and Downloadables: If you offer downloadable files or programs, such as WordPress Plugins, Themes, etc., make sure you get the wording exactly right to protect yourself in case your file damages or harms someone’s blog, site, or computer.
• Libel and Defame: Be clear that anyone reading your blog will not hold you libel for what you say or display. State the content on the blog is the opinion of the blogger, not intended to “malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual,” or anyone or thing, especially those with the ability and desire to fight back.
• Responsibility: You should state that you are responsible for the content, not your employer, volunteer group, membership organization, church, or other agencies which you might be seen to represent. Take care with this. If you volunteer for an organization, and blog about it, you could be seen to “represent” it through implication, just as much as you might be representing your employer if you write about the company and/or your work.
• Personal Views: State that these are your personal views, which implies you are responsible for them, not your employee or another agency. Your blog is your opinion.
• Protection from Commenters: Consider stating that you are not responsible, nor will be held liable, for anything anyone says on your blog in the blog comments, nor the laws which they may break in your country or theirs through their comments’ content, implication, and intent.
• Protection from Fellow Bloggers: If you have multiple bloggers and/or contributors on your blog, consider some statement that covers them, protecting them but also protecting you from what they say in their blog posts.
• Do No Harm: It helps when you say that your “intention” is to do no harm. To not injure others, defame, or libel, just in case someone thinks you are doing harm. “Harm” is subject to interpretation not facts. It’s your opinion and advice, not counsel. What you write on your blog is not to be taken as fact nor absolute. If people use your advice, tips, techniques, and recommendations, and are injured, you are not to be held responsible.
• Disclosure of Paid-to-Blog: Some disclaimers may include a disclosure statement that says the blog’s content is, or is not, generated to make money or paid for blogging content. If this is not included in the disclaimer, make sure you publicly and visibly post a disclosure as there is a growing call for blogger’s ethics for transparency.
• Language Issues: Language is a tricky thing, so consider adding a statement about not being responsible for translation or interpretation of content. Also, if this issue is important to you, you know that punctuation can change the intent of a statement, so hold yourself and your blog harmless from prosecution for bad grammar and punctuation.
• Copyright: If you want to make your disclaimer a catch-all, be sure to include astatement on your copyright policy, setting the guidelines for how and when your content may be used by others.
• International and Cultural Laws: If your blog is read by someone from another country, a country which has laws which restricts or censors content, and your blog’s content crosses their line, who is responsible for “crossing the border”? Is it you or the reader? Either way, consider a statement that says you are not responsible for defamatory statements bound to government, religious, or other laws from the reader’s country of origin.
• Limits on Damages: Consider adding a statement that restricts the financial claim that could be taken against you and your blog. If legal action is brought against your blog, it could be brought against you personally, your home, properties, and more. By setting a cap limit on the financial responsibility, it could help the courts set a lower rate if you lose, since you publicly stated the limits.
• Make It Readable: Make your disclaimer readable. While legaleeze is fine, make your disclaimer easy to read and understand in plain and simple language.
• Have Fun But Make It Legal: Have what fun you will with your blog disclaimer, making it match your blogging and writing style, but make sure the words are still “legal” and will protect as much as amuse your readers.

Apa pun, aku punya Penafian [perhatian!] sendiri, cuma nampak pelik, sebab aku bukanlah seorang lawyer, dan entri ini hanya sekadar berkongsi tip dan panduan untuk diri sendiri dan orang lain yang mahu merujuk. Kalau korang serius, panggil saja mana² peguam untuk semak Penafian korang dengan lebih berdedikasi. - Jadi, nampak la korang serius untuk melindungi weblog dan diri korang daripada hal² perundangan.


source: blogherald.com