It is generally accepted practice to provide links to
other relevant web-based materials without
permission if this link directs the user to the home page of the site and not a page further into the
site.
The consent of the owner of the linked site should be
obtained in the case of 'deep linking' (a link to
a page within a website, bypassing the home page), 'framing' (dividing a screen into different frames
of content, where an effect can be achieved whereby people’s content looks as if it is part of
your
site) or 'embedded links' (where an actual image from another website is embedded in your own to
make the link direct). While these types of links may not strictly infringe rights belonging to
the
owner of the linked site (unless, of course, you are passing off the content in anyway as your own),
the linked site may be dependent on advertising or funding tied in with receiving ‘hits’ on
its home
page. It is important to ensure not only that the work of other people is clear and acknowledged,
but also that information is not represented out of context. Accordingly, it is good practice
to link
to the home pages of that web sites and not to create deep links, frames or embedded links
without permission. An exception is e-journals, which usually allow users to link to individual
articles with proper acknowledgment. For information on e-journal licences, contact the University
Library.
