Is there a policy on design advice re. public safety liability

Question

I emphasis the term public, meaning not the OP asking the original question. There are similar questions regarding safety, but they focus on safety of the OP.

should-we-give-safety-advice-to-those-new-to-electronics

What is our policy on dangerous stuff?

What I want to focus on are third parties. Perhaps I've watched too many episodes of The Good Wife, but SE is an American site, so. I /we have recently been involved with two questions that have one involved the general public, and two potential employees. We have given detailed design advice with the express intent that the OP would follow it. Some here also claim to be experts, which can I believe alter the legal position of a statement. I'm not. I'm stupid, if any lawyers are listening. My examples:-

Multiple lights with button that turns one on at a time

I want to turn on-off 5 big machines within 2 KM radius by Arduino. Will a GSM module work for me, or any better idea?

If the OP goes ahead and builds devices based on our expert recommendations, where does that leave us if there are problems with third parties. Isn't it awkward to say the OP shouldn't have listened to us, and we also say are an expert forum with experienced engineers? It's further complicated in that SE is incorporated on the basis of expert opinion. The "multiple lights" question involved an arts display to the general public, and the "big machine" question may involve legal employees at their work place. In England, this would not be viewed equally as killing yourself by wiring plugs backwards.

This is an anonymous comment made here.

If a few want to kill themselves, what's the problem? Hand out extension cords with frayed ends, tell them to put pennies in the fuse holder, stand on a wetted concrete floor, and lean on a copper water pipe while installing live house wiring.

Yes it's funny and I know that it was meant in jest. But it's in print on the SE web site, in America, and has been read many thousands of times giving SE ample opportunity to remove it.

I too hate all the Health & Stupidity stuff, but I'm careful as to what I post in public. I believe that I have a moral responsibility to those who ask my advice, even though it's usually crap. Are there any constructive thoughts?

Answer 1

You can't use SE and sue somebody else (well I supposed you could, but you wouldn't get very far). If your reading an SE page, your making SE's terms and an agreement. See here: Any legal exposure from answering questions?

There are other ways that you could get into legal trouble, like posting code that isn't yours or infringe on a patent.

Secondly even without that, if something were to happen, somebody would have to take your advise and then sue you. Both are not likely.