The Business of Writing > Laws about Writing

does linking require permission?

(1/1)

B L McAllister:
A friend is designing a website for me.  I'd like to include several clickable links (e.g. to MWF, MWA, SinC, and several others).  Do I need any sort of permission from the websites I want to link to? Or is linking "free"?

Bob Mueller:
I've always thought it to be a no questions asked kind of thing. A heads-up email never hurts, and can bring a reciprocal link, and maybe an image they'd like you to use.
 

B L McAllister:

--- Quote from: Bob Mueller on May 03, 2007, 02:59:37 PM ---I've always thought it to be a no questions asked kind of thing. A heads-up email never hurts, and can bring a reciprocal link, and maybe an image they'd like you to use.
 

--- End quote ---
Okay--all right if I link to Mystery Writers' Forum?

dhparker:
Sometimes websites you want to include will have information about linking to them on their site.  SinC wants you to ask permission to use their logo, but I didn't see anything about a plain link.  I didn't look at the others you mentioned.

If I can find an email for the people I want to add, I write and ask if they would mind my putting a link to them on my site.  To me, it just seems more courteous to ask.  Nobody has minded yet, but some people might because I do have some religious content there.  So far all the responses have been positive, and the ones I've contacted seemed to like being asked.   

Donna

Lance Charnes:
Typically, straight links don't need permission. Using a linkee's logo or graphics generally does require some sort of permission; many sites will have special graphics available for links, if you want.

OTOH, if yours is a particularly scarmy website and you include a link, the linkee may ask you to remove it. If you're running a snuff-pet-porn site, don't expect to be popular...

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