Re: Web link copyright

From: Dan L Burk <BURKDANL[_at_]shu.edu>
Date: Fri, 07 May 1999 07:30:45 -0400

On 5/6/99, Stanley M. Morris <smmorris[_at_]rmii.com> wrote:
>
> Are URL's subject to copyright?

Probably not, since they are essentially citations. Although there is a pre-Feist 6th Circuit decision holding that West citations are copyrightable, more recent decisions appear to (correctly) be going the other way.

> Specifically, may an alphabetical list of URL's incorpoated in a web
> page be subject to copyright?

This is a different question altogether. There could be copyright in a compilation of URLs if the selection and arrangement is original.

> The pages in question appear to be similar to a telephone book or a
> city directory. I think not. Is there a case on point?

Yes. Feist, and the Hyperlaw decision. You may also want to have a look at

   http://elj.warwick.ac.uk/jilt/intprop/98_2burk/default.htm

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Dan L. Burk
Seton Hall University
burkdanl[_at_]shu.edu

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Received on Fri May 07 1999 - 11:39:28 GMT