Making Hyperlinking Illegal

[Jeremy]

Every day I live in America and read the news and simply just shake my head. Surely this U.S. Judge can't be serious. Good luck saving newspapers you dipshit. This would be like a judge not allowing people to print things off the computer 20 years ago in an effort to save typewriters.

It's technology, it phases things out. In 30 years we probably won't need big telephone polls with lined strung to them either. Then what, the government will want to ban VOIP?

Should linking be illegal? | Dan Kennedy | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

[PTC]

Surely this U.S. Judge can't be serious.

This whole article is just based off of a blog entry written by Posner, not any sort of legislation. IMHO, its been taken out of context as well. But don't worry, you can still hate our government if you choose.

[faststeady]

i hate your government as well, cost me my income with all your poker donks gone...had to learn how to trade sports to make some crumbs

[Michael Martinez]

Hm, well apparently a lot of people misread the judge's proposal, as he did not only suggest preventing linking to online content -- he suggested as an alternative requiring links that are only summarizing the original content. That latter practice is actually what is required under U.S. Fair Use doctrine (which does not permit the complete republication of content without permission).

The judge's rationale is not very firm, of course, as he fails to look at the efficiencies which drove advertising to the Internet in the first place. The news publishing industry has not adapted well to the changes in technology and legislating protections for a buggy whip industry in the age of the automobile really won't sustain or increase demand for buggy whips.

I would not be too concerned about this type of thinking. He is throwing ideas out there for discussion. That is, after all, how a society evolves.