Wikivoyage talk:Tourist office/Header

Wikivoyage:Tourist office/Header Should we exclude potential questions where the answer might constitute legal advice?

Swept in from the pub

The thinking is that the header doesn't currently actually exclude these being asked.

Example potential questions to assist the discussion:-

• "My flight was cancelled, what am I entitled to from the airline?"
• "I broke my nose going, head over heels, onto the Plazza <redacted>, in <redacted>, Who do I send 'Accidents Direct' after?"
• "I ordered Steak in the Hotel dining room, it tasted like horsemeat, can I complain?"
• "Am I allowed to take pictures of the Rail Terminal at <redacted> , The staff seemed nervous when I asked previously?"
• "I'm on insulin for diabeties, What paperwork do I need when flying Toronto to Detroit?"
• "I was due to visit relatives in Glasgow, I started sneezing 2 days ago, Do I regrettably have to cancel?"

amongst others.

ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 10:59, 3 December 2021 (UTC)

Yeah those seem more harder to answer than philosophical questions IMO. These are questions that you probably shouldn't trust a random stranger on the internet on. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 11:01, 3 December 2021 (UTC)

We should not have a long list of questions we do not answer. We should however make clear that we don't offer formal legal or medical advice, but that professional advice should be sought. For the questions above, I think we can provide reasonable common-sense advice (including the advice not to trust the advice given by us). –LPfi (talk) 11:22, 3 December 2021 (UTC)

Thanks, How should the header be updated then?

And so that gaps in article coverage can be identified, what would sensible answers to the above questions be? ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 12:10, 3 December 2021 (UTC)

I don't think that disallowing questions is effective. People who want to ask their question will have all sorts of reasons why their question should be acceptable. I don't think that the header needs to be updated.

I think we should focus on our answers instead instead of the questions. @Pashley answered a potentially difficult question last week simply by linking to the relevant page on an official website. LPfi's advice is also good. For example:

• "I'm sorry to hear that your flight was cancelled. I've heard that what you're entitled to depends upon your country and other factors. You might find useful information on your airline's website or on a government page such as this one for the US."
• "I'm sorry to hear that you got hurt. That sounds like a question for your insurance company."
• "Horse meat is considered a delicacy in many countries. However, if you ordered something else, then I'm sure you could contact the hotel to let them know that you were disappointed. Their contact information is probably on your receipt."
• "In most countries, it's okay to take photos in public places, but other places are more restrictive. You might have better luck getting an answer if you can find a friend who speaks the local language to write down your question for you. It might be helpful if you can explain whether you just want to take a few quick snapshots for personal use or if you are hoping to do something elaborate to sell."
• "Here's a link to Canada's page on flying with diabetic supplies, and for your return trip, here's a page from the US agency that might be helpful. I hope you have a great trip."
• "I'm sorry to hear that you're not feeling great. You should probably talk to your own healthcare providers about this."

I think that we can reply to all of these questions, so long as we are careful not to claim that we're experts whose word should be relied on. WhatamIdoing (talk) 02:29, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

Would it be enough to add a disclaimer along these lines? Pashley (talk) 04:36, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

This is a travel guide that anyone can edit and that relies entirely on volunteer contributions. We do our best, but nothing on this page or elsewhere on the site can be guaranteed to be up-to-date or entirely accurate. In particular, check with other sources for questions that can have serious consequences: With your doctor for health issues With your own government, or another, for travel advisories that may help you avoid dangerous areas With the government of the destination country for visas and travel restrictions With a lawyer for other legal issues Nothing on this site should be taken as medical or legal advice.

That also works, but I'd prefer to use {{disclaimerbox}} rather than {{infobox}}. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 04:43, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

Support disclaimer box, placed appropriately. ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 09:25, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

Changed to disclaimer box. Pashley (talk) 10:40, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

Thanks :) SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 10:45, 4 December 2021 (UTC)

Why not update Wikivoyage:Disclaimer to include the "not legal & medical advice"? The disclaimer link is linked on every page and would mirror more closely with Wikipedia's general disclaimer. OhanaUnited^{Talk page} 08:06, 5 December 2021 (UTC)

I don't think people will notice that though. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 08:38, 5 December 2021 (UTC)

So, @ShakespeareFan00, implementing it on the tourist office? SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 02:31, 27 December 2021 (UTC)

I implemented Pashley's box into the page. Please adjust if necessary. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 09:34, 23 January 2022 (UTC)