Do I need to ask permission to link to a website? (2024)

Generally no, but you should check the website’s ‘Terms of Use’ section to see whether it has any specific linking prohibitions. If there are none, you may link to the website but make sure that the webpage opens up in a different browser window. If the web-page does not clearly identify the website and content owner, you should also include the full details of the author, copyright owner and source of the materials by the link. This will avoid any suggestion that the website is your own material or that your website is somehow affiliated with the other site.

In addition, Section30.04 of the Copyright Act will allow you to copy, play in class, or distribute to students, materials that you have found on the Internet, as long as:

• the material was posted legitimately (i.e. by the or with the consent of the Copyright owner).
• there is no clearly visible notice prohibiting educational use of the content.
• there is no technological protection measure preventing access to the material or preventing copying of the material (e.g. a presentation on a website like Prezi).
• you have acknowledged the author & website.

Copyright in the Digital Classroom

• Copyright