Probably everyone who uses email has already had a chance to see these mysterious faded lines attached to corporate messages. Email disclaimers are invaluable for businesses in these days when taking someone to court for no reason happens on a daily basis. No matter if you're negotiating a big business deal or buying a watch in an online shop, it's certain that you will find a short legal statement under a reply to your official email. And it is not only a matter of fashion or a popular whim that forces senders to add those stiff juridical sentences under the body of their emails. It is simply a must-have for everyone who wants to be in keeping with legal regulations and prevent him or herself from damaging implications of sending a business message.

Legislators all around the globe are gradually shifting their focus from analog to digital means of communication. One of the effects: a growing number of laws concerned with regulating the content of corporate emails. If you fail to comply with them, you run the risk of receiving a severe penalty. On the other hand, the requirements are often moderate and may be fulfilled by as little as including a short disclaimer in your messages. But when exactly is this the case? Contrary to reports floating around on the web, email disclaimers are rarely specifically mentioned in legal acts, regardless if these acts focus on electronic correspondence exclusively, aim to regulate commercial messages in general or put restrictions on communication in certain branches of the economy. Neither are disclaimers a surefire protection against security breaches and lawsuits. Below I discuss to what extent legal systems in different regions of the world mandate the use of email disclaimers and determine their status.