digg

Join DiggAbout

The Digg Crew wants to hear your thoughts!
Please take our short survey about Digg and potential feature ideas.

Federal lawsuits take on the humble hyperlink

arstechnica.com — Do web sites need permission to link to other web sites? Two current court cases raise that question at the federal level, leading Ars to wonder if this could mean "the end of the web as we know it."

show profanity settings
expand all
  • ndanie3, on 09/18/2008, -5/+40what?
    • AgmLauncher, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1I don't get it either. What exactly was the town's issue with a link to the police department website? The article didn't exactly state what the issue was in the first place (not that it would change the fact that the whole situation is made of lolsauce...)
    • latrosicarius, on 09/19/2008, -0/+4if it's on the internet, it's public.

      and also, how else are you supposed to visit their site if you don't click on a link?
    • xptoast, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2I am thinking someone should post a link to the police office so I can see what they are all about.
    • skyz, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1huh ?
    • cybrguy, on 09/19/2008, -0/+5they want to make Rick-Rolling illegal... :(
      • elbekko, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1It already is. Linking to a copyrighted song and video is technically illegal.
    • sixgun, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Their is one thing they could possibly get her on, that would be for using the image from the police dept. website. But from the articles I've read on this, that doesn't sound like the grounds for the lawsuit. And I agree, their is nothing really mentioning the motive.
  • locojones, on 09/18/2008, -52/+43Buried as MrBabySpam.
    • MsBabyWoman, on 09/18/2008, -22/+7Don't be so hard on the lil' guy.
      • MrsBabyWomen, on 09/19/2008, -9/+6What?! And who are you?! *Cat fight.
      • plimpton777, on 09/19/2008, -1/+1Both you beyotches need to get off MBM's nutsack.
      • MrsBabyWomen, on 09/20/2008, -0/+0Boooo - stop stalking me... (really)
    • Spuy767, on 09/19/2008, -5/+8I'm torn between furthering the MrBabyMan agenda or diggins up something that's important.
      • RealmDown, on 09/19/2008, -1/+15Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

      • enclaved, on 09/19/2008, -7/+3An agenda? What do you think his agenda is?
      • Tezdoll, on 09/19/2008, -2/+5His agenda is to annoy the ***** out of me.
    • JasonCox, on 09/19/2008, -9/+1Comment Reported as 'attacking another user'.
    • insanebrain, on 09/19/2008, -4/+9What did I miss ?? I knew about the MrBabyMan mass-digging-stuff. . .but since when are MrBabyMan posts spam ?
      • Tezdoll, on 09/19/2008, -1/+3people are marking mybabyman's post as spam, because he post so many things. If i sent you 700 magazines a day and 600 where us full...that's still a lot of magazines. You would most likely start throwing them away...and so on.
      • psevium, on 09/19/2008, -1/+4Except it's completely different to that
    • skeletorcares, on 09/19/2008, -2/+8BAN THE BABY!
      • Demener, on 09/19/2008, -3/+1You don't see anything ironic in your post, mayhaps?
    • jellygraph, on 09/19/2008, -4/+4arstechnica is spam now, huh?
      I've never heard anything more idiotic.
      buried and blocked, because, if anything, your comment is the spam
    • jenshik, on 09/20/2008, -1/+1I'm sick of digg becoming about WHO submits stories rather than WHAT the stories are. It's a shame, and it's pathetic.

      If a story is good, digg it up. If it is bad, digg it down.
      If a story is good and is submitted by a top user and isn't a dupe, what difference does it make?
  • Fhwqhgads, on 09/18/2008, -4/+87More ***** lawsuits. America's favorite pastime.
    • MattFromSeattle, on 09/19/2008, -0/+14That's slander and I'll see you in court!
    • roodammy44, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2An interesting side effect would be to destroy google, yahoo and live search and lead to the dominance of search engines to other places in the world.
      This law could destroy american dominance of the internet and cause the economy huge damage.
      It just shows the extreme ignorance of the police
  • TubeDigger, on 09/18/2008, -2/+48Why is it the people who don't know get to make the rules?
    • TheMidnight, on 09/19/2008, -0/+8Because you know the rules, and so do I.
      • TedMustard, on 09/19/2008, -1/+2I just want to tell you how I'm feeling.
  • tufftugg, on 09/19/2008, -1/+4 What are you people smoking there?
  • Junior612, on 09/19/2008, -1/+2Does anyone remember the humming bird images linked to Flickr? Just go back and read those comments if you want a satisfying answer.
  • sk33lz, on 09/19/2008, -0/+54Serious news for Google since their whole search algorithm is based on hyperlinks. Are we trying to break everything that works?
    • Markers, on 09/19/2008, -2/+11Yep. That's the American way.
    • SniperGX1, on 09/19/2008, -1/+28It's the government. If it ain't broke, fix it till it is.
    • insomniac8400, on 09/19/2008, -0/+6Don't forget the site you are currently on.
  • Atomic1fire, on 09/19/2008, -0/+33If you dont want people viewing a webpage, then password it, or provide it via intranet.
    this is just Sheboygan being stupid
    • DreKor, on 09/19/2008, -0/+5Ever been to Sheboygan? You'd understand. That's just how they do things.
  • RaidenWoW, on 09/19/2008, -37/+37Please ban MrBabyMan and stop flagging my comments as spam. If you don't like my comments (MBM zealots), digg me down.
    • twiztidsinz, on 09/19/2008, -24/+11Buried and reported.
      Not because I like MrBabyMan, but because I hate you and the rest of the people who bitch about MBM constantly.
    • RayKinStL, on 09/19/2008, -14/+11I agree completely. It's not that I have anything against him specifically, but the way he (and others) use, and abuse, digg is not in the spirit of which it was intended to be. This kind of story should not make the front page and is a waste of time.
      • kb9vgr, on 09/19/2008, -4/+13i hope that was sarcasm this is news and digg worthy
    • psevium, on 09/19/2008, -8/+7Stop trying to be a victim here. I couldn't care less who submits what, I just like to read interesting stories. Stop being such a girl
    • MasterGrief, on 09/19/2008, -2/+1I'm hardly an "MBM zealot"--I think I've knowingly dugg three articles he's posted. I couldn't care any less who posts what on the front page as long as it is interesting, and that's why I'm burying you. Just because Babyman made the use of digg into both an art and a life does not mean he deserves to be banned.
      • pablodius, on 09/19/2008, -1/+0i feel bad for anyone that has to use digg as both art and life... better let BabyMan speak for them self.
      • MasterGrief, on 09/19/2008, -1/+1I figure, if he lives on digg, who are we to tell him otherwise? Like I said, as long as he's posting interesting stuff, I don't see the problem.
    • roodammy44, on 09/19/2008, -1/+1I dugg you down for whining.
      I don't like MrBabyMan's dominance as much as you, but you're not getting any fans like this.
  • Nerys, on 09/19/2008, -15/+9OK I hope someone forwards this to ars (I am just not in the mood for yet one more registration form getting sick of them) anyway

    There is a very simple question to be answered in the court proceedings. These questions should ELIMINATE this case all together in fact.

    I am a resident. I tell my neighbor goto XXX Whatever Rd here is how you get there I rpint a map and direction. Do I need McDonalds Permission to do this?

    Quite Obviously NO. The retort will likely be WAIT its not the main page (equivalent of an address) that we have a problem with its NESTED link deep linking whatever you call it.

    SO the reply then is OK I tell this neighbor that when you enter the mcdonalds you go left and look for the 4th table that one has the best light. THERE thats nested deep linking. OR I tell him to go into the mall.Go right to the excalator to the seconf floor go left to the 12th store on your right and enter staying right goto the back of the store and look for the "whatever" section on the third row is the Item your seeking.

    Is that illegal? NO off course not. CASE DISMISSED

    AND CAN SOMEONE TELL DIGG TO FIX THESE GOD DAMNED FORMS THEY ARE DRIVING ME NUTS. FLASHING EVERYTIME I TYPE A LETTER NOT SHOWING ME THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM ITS Grrrrrrr
    • bratterscain, on 09/19/2008, -0/+4You're thinking pretty much the same thing I am but you could've shortened it up to say that hyperlinking is the digital equivalent to pointing your finger and saying "look, over there!" or drifting attention to something. This, by definition, is free speech and is ridiculous that it happened.
  • NovaPrime9, on 09/19/2008, -22/+14Buried as babyman.
  • stutimandal, on 09/19/2008, -12/+2As per copyright law, one has to make clear if the link takes you to another website or remains in your own. That's why some websites go through the pain of saying (Ext. Link) to signify that the link is not their copyright.

    Google cannot be blamed since it is usually understood that google will take you outside google.com
    • bratterscain, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2If I hyperlink, isn't it obvious? Just like saying IRL, "hey, look at this book". It's not saying I wrote it, but saying, look at it.
      • stutimandal, on 09/19/2008, -3/+1No, because the user should know if the link is going to re-direct him to a new website or keep him in the same website.

        Digging me down is like doing face-palm in front of a problem.
      • Nerys, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1If the user lacks the intelligence to look at the bottom status bar which DISPLAYS where the link will take them well then .....
  • studlystevie, on 09/19/2008, -0/+5Not a chance. No way. Not gonna happen.
  • Stoyanov, on 09/19/2008, -0/+20That would be the end of Digg as we know it.
  • tbredofsin, on 09/19/2008, -1/+6Even if this thing went the wrong way, there's no way this would even change most anything that mattered on the web. The internet is far too based on the value of traffic and inbound links themselves (increases search engine ranking). Anyone who owns a website probably wants more links to it.
    • EtherGnat, on 09/19/2008, -0/+6You would think everybody would want the traffic, but apparently many people don't. Ticketmaster, many newspaper sites, and others have fought to prevent people from linking to their pages. They're idiots.

      While they might not be a significant percentage of sites, it could still have a chilling effect on web development. If people feel they have to ask for permission before linking they may tend not to bother at all. It could also make running a site like Digg with user submitted links a nightmare.
    • bratterscain, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1If it's on the web, it is saying, "hey, look at me". If anything, a site which only lets people link with permission about who and where they can be linked seems discrimination. Don't put your site on the web if you don't want hits and make use of robots.txt.
      • Nerys, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Well part of the point is that by "deep linking" you bypass there home page there interface and more importantly a lot of there "advertising" etc.. Ie there "control"

        Phooey
    • roodammy44, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1It would be a crime to anonymously link to sites.
      Can you imagine how much effort it would be to ask for permission for every link you submit to an american site?
      The american web would die out quite quickly.
  • ultraseamus, on 09/19/2008, -14/+7MrBabySpam. I hate myself for saying that, but I could not resist. Digg me down and hide my shame.
  • NeoCortex, on 09/19/2008, -2/+6Talk about blowing something out of proportion. The first lawsuit wasn't even a lawsuit. The city basically asked the web designer to remove the link, but made no threats for non-compliance.

    The second case is not going to change the face of the internet as we know it. If anything, the linking site shouldn't be using images of the firm's employees without permission.

    Don't worry everybody, hyperlinking isn't going anywhere.
  • StupotAce, on 09/19/2008, -1/+22America can't control the internet. These lawsuits are just stupid.
    • pablodius, on 09/19/2008, -0/+0I agree. The internet is like no-man's-land. It doesn't belong to anyone in particular, does it?
    • tomis, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1If only that were true. If only...
  • jonshipman, on 09/19/2008, -0/+6Don`t be taking away me hyperlinks!
    Ya swabbie whut deserves the black spot!
    • ooby, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Shiver me timbers, nary a landlubber pay heed to this day. Yer pirate-speak has saved ye a walk on the plank.
    • sevvo, on 09/19/2008, -2/+0Lance me boils! I. . . eh. . . can't really pull it off.

      Arrrgh?
    • Demener, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Arrrr!

      Any other Bloodsails around?
    • roodammy44, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Yo ho ho!
      A bottle 'o rum far any landlubber who sends this lawsuit ter Davy Jones' Locker!
      YAAAAARR!!
  • Antimatt, on 09/19/2008, -0/+8Today, hyperlinks. Tomorrow, bibliographies.
  • tnoo, on 09/19/2008, -2/+20Humble Hyperlink... sounds like an Ubuntu distro.
  • InspectorGadget, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1If the concept of stare decisis means ANYTHING, these cases will quickly end in summary judgment for the defendants.
  • KevenM, on 09/19/2008, -0/+15NEWSFLASH!! Most of the Internet exists outside of the US Federal court's jurisdiction.

    Wait, I think we have a new reason to invade other countries now...
  • KevenM, on 09/19/2008, -0/+16hey look ---> more of your tax dollars wasted on stupidity
  • insanebrain, on 09/19/2008, -0/+6What do we (the nerds) care about the law ? The law doesn't realize that we (the nerds) build the net, rule the net, and if necessary, destroy the net.
  • scythe33, on 09/19/2008, -0/+4So the Digg effect is going to be criminalized?
    I guess that'll put all ten million of us in jail-or it'll create yet another unenforceable Internet law that is never obeyed and yet is pulled out of the bag every time the government doesn't like what somebody's saying. Wonder what they're really trying to restrict?
    Also, I feel like a total tinfoil-hatter for saying this.
  • m4fia117, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2Well, then then Microsoft would be sued for being in cahoots with the suspected hyperlinker. Because they provided them a way to see the link. Or FF or who ever they use. But this is so stupid, and everyone would sue anyone. Stupid American Nature to sue anything that moves.
    • bratterscain, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Browsers don't hyperlink to people, people do. I have the right to bear browsers.
    • Demener, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2Do you have the right to bear browsers?
      I don't think you do... uh oh we're in trouble now.
      [/tinfoilhat]
    • m4fia117, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Well i mean they provide you the mean to brandish a hyperlink? So like there an accomplice in a way.
  • koolto, on 09/19/2008, -1/+3So he still hasn't been banned, damn!
  • ErickStevenson, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Why is it the US has so much hold over the internet... shouldn't it be considered through international law if anything? Internet does not equate to America territory.
  • seventhc, on 09/19/2008, -0/+3Next week....
    'Are people allowed to click on links?'
  • skeletorcares, on 09/19/2008, -2/+6BAN THE BABy!
    • pablodius, on 09/19/2008, -0/+0why? i am new, but why?
      • thescimitar, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2Generally, diggers want MBM banned because he:

        a) is relentless, diggs and submits stuff constantly
        b) has a HUGE circle of friends that digg anything he submits or diggs
        c) resubmits stories that insignificant diggers submit, which are then FP'd for reason B
        d) wears a cowboy hat
        q) eats babies
  • lolupissed, on 09/19/2008, -3/+2Maybe if this goes through the government can through MBM in jail

    scriptmuch?
  • AgentMull, on 09/19/2008, -0/+7http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/main.html
    Take that!
  • beermad, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2No wonder the world laughs at America.
  • kevisazombie, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2God damnit. Way to go Wisconsin making us look like fat retards as usual
  • vidkid, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that interchange data by packet switching using the standardized Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by copper wires, fiber-optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies.(from wikipedia)

    read: hyperlinks. Lawyers suck.
  • dofe, on 09/19/2008, -2/+3The title of the article is misleading. The legal issues in question have nothing to do with hyperlinking. The first case will deal with free speech issues and the court will not stray beyond the question. The second case is based on trademark dilution. In short, neither of these cases will consider the issue of hyperlinking.

    Tip to ars technica editors: next time, check with your legal department first.
  • netneutrality, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2In my opinion the lawyer guys who started this are just cringingly, embarrassingly, and frighteningly stupid. If the website maintainers are going to register a domain name and publish their site's IP address with public databases, for replication worldwide so that local DNS servers can respond with the location information whenever a client requests it, how did the person who "linked to" the site do any harm?

    And how is a hyperlink different from simply stating the name of the website? What if the dominant web browser happened to turn all joined words starting with http(s):// into clickable links anyway, regardless of whether the <A HREF=""> tag was used. Would that make mentioning the name of a website illegal?

    And if they object to it, why do they pay to keep a web server running that's apparently programmed to respond to all the HTTP requests sent to it regardless of origin?

    Click here for morons who waste your tax money: http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/
  • cybrguy, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2Is this something they have the manpower and authority to regulate? I don't think so. Its like trying to tax email. Not feasible.
  • Labourer, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1whilst the prospect of needing permission to hyperlink would be totally unworkable and unrealistic, i can see a case for "not wanting to be linked to" and perhaps site owners should have the right to request that links be removed depending on the reason.
  • surferjoemaui, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1How about a two color link system Blue for external link, maybe green for internal links?
    • tomis, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1There's already two solutions to this, one is called the status bar, and once you click the link, there's the address bar. It's fairly obvious. If people aren't aware of that which is clearly stated before their own eyes, well that's their own problem to sort out.
      • surferjoemaui, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1Very true, just trying to look out for the weakest link.(pun intended)
  • ZetaThompson, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1hmm so since when does the US fed court system get to decide something for the WORLD WIDE WEB? Seems we are getting a bit cocky here. So now I can't link to my firends' sites or commercial sites or even perhaps the site of someone who is deceased without permission? Does a Oujai board count as a legal means of communications with the spirit world?
  • m60dude5, on 09/19/2008, -0/+1Haha Ha! They're going to take down links in a web. Ha. Man this is good.
  • tomis, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1As the (currently) modern world wastes time and money fighting over asinine laws (and legal actions like this), the underdogs will slowly creep up until we pull our heads out of the sand one day to find ourselves on the bottom of the economic food chain.

    If you don't want someone to link to your website, don't put it online. Next!
  • maninalift, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1Even if it did happen legally, which it won't, it would be worked around. Every site that wanted to live would place text (plus meta tag) granting free right to link.
  • redroooz, on 09/21/2008, -0/+0Haha Ha! They're going to take down links in a web. Ha. Man this is good.

    [اناقه حواء] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f5 [أزياء وأناقة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f6 [المكياج والعطور] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f108 [العروس] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f121 [العناية بالشعر والبشرة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f8 [رشاقتك وصحتك] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f59 [عبايات شيلات جلابيات نقشات حناء] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f115 [دورس الحناء] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f132 [دروس نقش الحناء ] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f132 [الديكور والمنزل] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f11 [الاشغال الفنيه النسائيه] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f60 [السوق النسائي]http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f10 [الوظائف النسائيه] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f119 [الزوجة المميزة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f16 [الثقافة و التوجيهات الزوجية] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f92 [عالم زوجك] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f102 [طفلك] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f17 [الحمل والولاده] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f18 [المطبخ والمأكولات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f25 [أطباق رئيسية] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f82 [أطباق خفيفة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f83 [المقبلات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f84 [الحلويات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f85 [المشروبات و الآيس كريم] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f86 [منتديات المميزة ] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f70 [نادي المميزةوالحوار العام] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f3 [الطلبة والطالبات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f78 [تطوير الذات والمهارات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f130 [قسم ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f131 [الترحيب بالاعضاء ] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f4 [التهاني والتبريكات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f105 [اخبار الفن والنجوم ] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f128 [عالم الاخبار] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f51 [والمنتديات الادبيه ] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f74 [بوح قلم] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f27 [اريج الشعر] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f29 [القصص الواقعية والخيالية] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f38 [فرع القصص والروايات الطويلة] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f81 [السياحة والحضارات والتراث] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f53 [التراث والحضارات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f112 [الألعاب و المسابقات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f21 [الصور المضحكة والكاريكاتير] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f106 [الألعاب و المسابقات والألغاز] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f110 [الصور والصوتيات ومقاطع فيديو] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f30 [الانمي] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f120 [مقاطع الفديو] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f96 [البرامج وتكنلوجيا والجوال] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f49 [ توبيكات ماسنجر] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f126 [التصاميم والفلاشات] http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f50
    http://www.missjubail.com/
    http://www.1vip1.com/vb
    http://www.1vip1.com
    http://www.1vip1.net/
    http://www.el3bny.com/
    http://www.1vip1.com/vb/f5/
    http://www.fsaten.com/
  • Adamsavoy, on 09/22/2008, -0/+0not gonna happen i hope they laugh it out of court
  • joshua850, on 09/24/2008, -0/+0Contact the douchebag in charge:

    Daniel E. Reidy (Dan)

    Tel: 1.312.269.4140
    Fax: 1.312.782.8585
    Email: dereidy@jonesday.com

    http://www.jonesday.com/contact/contact.aspx
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.