Book disclaimer warns regarding outdated domain names

Books are forever. Website content is not.

When a book is published, its words stay there forever. That includes links or references to domain names.

This can be a problem if the domain in the book later points to another website.

Consider what happened to the children’s book series Spy Pups. The books mentioned a domain for the author’s website. The author later lost control of the domain, which was then redirected to adult content. This forced the publisher to try to pull all copies off library and store shelves.

I recently finished reading Junkyard Planet, a 2013 book that provides a detailed look at the scrap industry. The colophon included this disclaimer:

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes.

I’m not sure how many books include these disclaimers, since I don’t typically read the end pages. But given the shelf life of books compared to domain names, it’s a smart acknowledgment.