INFO/NYT: You Are What You Link? Legal Responsibility For Linked Content

From: David P. Dillard <jwne[_at_]astro.ocis.temple.edu>
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 11:02:49 -0400 (EDT)

You Are What You Link? Does Legality and Legal Responsibility Stretch to the Content To Which Websites Links

 REGARDING A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE WITH LINK AND EXCERPT BELOW:      Is linking to illegal websites or websites with illegal content an illegal act or merely an exercise of freedom of speech and information? Should linking to a website be prohibited if that site provides software for downloading that enables the user of the software to remove encryption from motion pictures so that the motion picture may be downloaded and watched without paying the viewing fees charged by the motion picture vendor for viewing the film unencrypted? A case on this issue will be decided in the next two weeks and should have a major impact in defining legal parameters in linking.

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204-4584

jwne[_at_]astro.temple.edu

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Source: New York Times (NYT)
Author: CARL S. KAPLAN
Title: Is Linking Illegal?
Source Date: June 16, 2000
Resource Type: News Article
Description/Keywords: Websites, Linking, Hyperlinks, Legal Issues,

   Lawsuit, Motion Pictures, Encryption, Free, Software, Download URL: Listed Below Article Summary
(Free Registration Required by the New York Times)

June 16, 2000

     By CARL S. KAPLAN
     Is Linking Illegal?

     A crucial aspect of online journalism is the ability to 

garnish articles with hyperlinks that instantly refer readers to Web sites related to newsworthy issues.

     But suppose one of those sites contains material alleged to be illegal -- a pirated copy of an authors book, perhaps, or an unlawful software program. Is the publisher who did the linking in hot water?

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Diversity University Collaboratory Mailing List ISSN:1529-7861 <http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/diversity.html> Received on Fri Jun 16 2000 - 15:03:10 GMT