Copyright Information

Just because something is on the Internet and is easy to use, does not mean it is free to use! The same rules apply as with any other content. See the appropriate tab on this libguide to answer your questions about linking to a particular format that is web-based. Be sure to cite or attribute what you do use appropriately.

Internet resources often combine both copyrighted and public domain content. Use care in downloading any content from websites. Check site to see if permission should be requested or if allowed.

Be aware of the copyright ramifications of including embedded additional links to that particular site. Deep linking to pages several levels deep within a site may also lose this context and raise the objections of a site owner. These are at the very least courtesy situations and may be considered contributory infringement. In losing context, you may obscure attribution.

If you do not see a statement that the web page can be used freely, you need to not only cite the source properly but also obtain permission from the copyright holders. It may not be obvious whether or not something on the Internet is part of the public domain. The current copyright law does not require a notice of copyright on a document for it to be copyrighted. This rule holds for multimedia presentations that may later be posted on the Web. It also holds when students distribute their projects over electronic networks.