Posted by arlene

Linking, framing, and HTML pulls can be part of any Web site with a minimum of legal and business risk if done properly. As a site owner, you need to be concerned with two different aspects: how to properly link to other sites, and with what to be concerned when other sites link to you. Here is a pair of checklists:

ESTABLISHING LINKS TO OTHER SITES

Why do you want to establish the link? Will it cost you more in lost repeat users than it will net in increased initial visits and goodwill?

Do you need permission to establish the link? It is more necessary to obtain permission if

Your company is a well-known, deep-pocket firm which is frequently the target of nuisance suits

You expect heavy traffic on your Web site, enough to overwhelm smaller sites to which you might link

you have previously negotiated some business relationship with the other site (or its owner) that was unconsummated

The other site is doing business, or considering doing busi ness, with one of your competitors

Your site design lends the impression that you have business relationships with the linked-to sites (e.g., only a few, well-highlighted links)

The linked-to page has controversial, age-sensitive, or ever- changing content (in which case you might want to add disclaimers and warranties to your permission agreement)

Do you need actual signed written permission? If the risk of damages and/or lawsuits from the link is not serious, consider written notification of the link as an alternative.

Is the link you made in the proper form and format? Some issues we’ve discussed include: unauthorized use of trademarks and copyrighted work; misleading or incorrect information contained within a link;behind-the-scenes HTML links which fail to show the content’s origin;frames which mislead users into assuming a business relationship, or which illegally trade on another’s trademarks or content for commercial gain

Have you checked any links already on your site for the above problems?

Do you have procedures in your site maintenance plan to regularly check your links for changes to the pages or their addresses, to avoid dead or incorrect links?

DEALING WITH SITES THAT LINK TO YOURS

Are you frequently checking for unknown or incorrect links to your sites using search engines and other methods (such as employee incentives for discoveries)?

Are you reviewing your access log to detect content-jacking through another site’s HTML code, which pulls one of your files without the surrounding page from your server?

Do you insist on obtaining permission in all cases prior to the establishment of links? (If so, remember that you will be expected to grant the same rights to all sites to which you yourself link.)

Have you requested (or required) approval rights over the content in which a link to your site will be placed and to the form and format of the link itself?

Under what circumstances would you want to terminate a link to your site? Do you have the power to obligate the linking site to remove the reference? If not, what will you do if they refuse to pull the link down?

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