Fan fiction disclaimers

Fan fiction disclaimers are language included, typically at the top of a piece of fan fiction, that attempt to disclaim responsibility or legal liability for the content of the work.

Most typically the disclaimers attempt to disclaim legal liability for any copyright or trademark violations, acknowledging the "ownership" of the show's creators or copyright holders on the characters portrayed in the work.

Such copyright and trademark disclaimers are likely valueless from a legal perspective in the US, but may serve other important social functions. For instance, the acknowledgement of original authorship may server to satisfy any original creators who simply want attribution for their works -- acting as a sort of propitiation of the gods. The disclaimers themelves can often be mini-works of art, with colorful and over-the-top languages, homages, and laments.

Legal disclaimers also often are tied with other prefatory material, which sometimes disclaims pride or skill ("This is just my first fic and I know it needs a lot of work, but ...") or beseeches a particular audience response ("I've never done a full-length story before so be kind").