Orlando, Florida Linking Agreement Lawyers
In general, companies do not need permission to link to other websites. The internet is connected through links and many websites benefit as a result of the linking and citation process. According to Stanford University Libraries, linking is a form of “fair use” and is often used to provide citations to source content. Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society notes that linking to another website doesn’t in itself constitute an infringement of copyright. Deep linking, or linking to an article in a website has also never been found by any court to be copyright infringement.
However, there may be cases where a linking agreement may be required, such as when using images or trademarks from another website, or when links are used to frame content (when content is uploaded from one site to another). Inline linking, or embedding video, might be seen as copyright infringement by some courts. If you plan to embed video from another source, you may want to secure a linking agreement with the video owner before doing so. Often linking agreements pertain to linking to images or using images on your website that are drawn from other sources. You must be careful when using images from the web on your websites to avoid copyright infringement. If you plan to use an image from another site, first find out who owns the image, and then ask for written permission to use the image. One of the ways you can get permission is through a linking agreement.
Another type of linking agreement is when two companies plan to mutually benefit by linking to one another. While linking agreements can be used for advertisement purposes, these relationships should be clearly negotiated. There are many issues that can arise with linking agreements. For example, companies may need to disclose that a link is a paid advertisement, and the companies may want to ensure that the link is used in a manner that is in accordance with the image they want their brand to present. A linking agreement can ensure that these standards are met. Search engines may also have separate standards and requirements when crawling sites where there are paid links. Failing to observe these best practices can lead to ranking issues for both websites in a linking agreement. Contact Legal Counsel, P.A. and speak to our linking agreement lawyers in Orlando, Florida who can assist you if you are creating a website and have questions about linking agreements for images, or have questions about how you can use a linking agreement to benefit your company. Have questions? We have answers. Contact Legal Counsel, P.A. today at 407-982-4321.
Internet law is a growing field. If you plan to create a website for your company and plan to use images from other sources, you may need a linking agreement. Furthermore, if you plan to use links to advertise your brand or company, it may be wise to have a linking agreement in place. If you own a blog and plan to have paid advertisements, a linking agreement can clarify the duties of each party. Contact Legal Counsel, P.A. and consult with our linking agreement lawyers in Orlando, Florida who can create a linking agreement contract and help you understand your responsibilities and rights. Have questions? We have answers. Contact Legal Counsel, P.A. today at 407-982-4321.
