Student web sites must adhere to established copyright laws and to the College of Mount St. Joseph copyright compliance policy.
Note: Many aspects of the issue of copyright and the Internet are still not resolved. This information, however, should serve as a useful guide to help you avoid violation of copyright rules.
What is protected on the World Wide Web?
The unique underlying design of a Web page and its contents, including:
- links
- original text
- graphics
- audio
- video
- html, vrml, other unique markup language sequences
- List of websites compiled by an individual or organization
- all other unique elements that make up the original nature of the material.
Copyright information
specific to web sites
(Note: the following text is based on guidelines originally given on the
George Mason University web site.)
When creating a
Web page, you CAN:
Link to other Web sites. However, some individuals and organizations have
specific requirements when you link to their web material. Check a site
carefully to find such restrictions. It is wise to ask permission. You
need to cite source, as you are required to do in a research paper, when
quoting or paraphrasing material from other sources. How much you quote
is limited.
Use free graphics on your Web page. If the graphics are not advertised as "free" they should not be copied without permission.
When creating a
Web page, you CANNOT:
Put the contents of another person's or organizations web site on your
Web page
Copy and paste information together from various Internet sources to create "your own" document.
Incorporate other people's electronic material, such as e-mail, into your own document, without permission.
Change the context of or edit someone else's digital content in a way which changes the meaning
Copy and paste others' lists of resources on your own web page
Copy and paste logos, icons, and other graphics from other web sites to your web page (unless it is clearly advertised as "freeware." Shareware is not free). Some organizations are happy to let you use their logos, with permission - it is free advertising. But they want to know who is using it. They might not approve of all sites who want to use their logo.
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