Re: Web link copyright

From: matt jackson <mattj[_at_]psu.edu>
Date: Fri, 07 May 1999 09:55:36 -0400

On 5/6/99, Stan Morris <smmorris[_at_]rmii.com> wrote:
>
> Are URL's subject to copyright? Specifically, may an alphabetical list
> of URL's incorpoated in a web page be subject to copyright? 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? Thanks.

Stan,

I published an article addressing this question in the Federal Communications Law Journal-- Vol. 49, page 731 (April 1997). Here is the link to the article:

   http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/pubs/v49/no3/jackson.html

I argue that URLs are not copyrightable. However, a compilation of URLs may be copyrightable if the organization of the list is creative. Just as Yellow Pages may be copyrightable, even though white pages are not. In either case, the phone number (or URL) is not copyrightable IMO.

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Matt Jackson
Assistant Professor
College of Communications
Penn State University
219 Carnegie Bldg.
University Park, PA 16802-5101
Phone: (814) 863-6419
Fax: (814) 863-8161
mattj[_at_]psu.edu

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Received on Fri May 07 1999 - 13:59:30 GMT