Is Linking to the Homepage of a Site that Hosts Copyrighted Content OK

[jebego]

I know that hosting, directly linking to, or embedding copyrighted content on my site goes against AdSense policies (please correct me if i'm wrong).

However, is it OK to create a link on my site that goes to the homepage of a site with copyrighted content, not the actual page that displays this content?

Thanks!

[claus]

Surely that's a mistake? All content on the internet is copyrighted. You can't put up a web site without it being copyrighted. If AdSense was not allowed on a page with copyright-protected content, then AdSense would not be allowed on any page on the internet.

[jebego]

Sorry, I guess I stated it wrong. If my site links to another site that hosts content copyrighted by another party, such as example.com, which is a site that streams tons of TV shows.

So, would my site be allowed to link to "example.com" for an example.

[edited by: incrediBILL at 8:08 pm (utc) on Feb 28, 2010]
[edit reason] Use example.com only please [/edit]

[Lame_Wolf]

You can link to whoever you want. Adsense is based on what is on YOUR site.

[jomaxx]

I doubt that opinion very much. If this is a site that intentionally flaunts copyright laws there might well be an issue, especially if you're linking to it in order to facilitate your visitors downloading such material.

Depends a bit on the site. A site that follows up on copyright complaints like YouTube does would probably be okay. A torrent or warez site or one that tries to keep itself immune from copyright enforcement would be a bad choice to link to.

[Lame_Wolf]

I doubt that opinion very much. If this is a site that intentionally flaunts copyright laws there might well be an issue, especially if you're linking to it in order to facilitate your visitors downloading such material.

Okay, say I link to a 100% clean site, and later on in life that site changes direction and becomes blackhat, violates copyright laws etc.

You're saying that Google will ban you for linking to them ? Yeah, right.

What *could* happen is that the site will be penalized for linking to a bad neighbourhood, but that is not an adsense issue.

I can show you 1000s of sites that link to sites that break copyright laws. Just about every myspace account does that. So, any site linking to myspace gets banned ? Nope.

Depends a bit on the site. A site that follows up on copyright complaints like YouTube does would probably be okay. A torrent or warez site or one that tries to keep itself immune from copyright enforcement would be a bad choice to link to.

Seeing that people are supposed to be linking to related sites, then I cannot see why anyone should want to link to a torrent/warez site.
Each to their own I suppose.

[Leosghost]

G links to warez ..and worse ..haven't seen them banning themselves lately ( or ever come to that ) ..

However your mileage may vary ;))

[rocker]

You can link to whoever you want. Adsense is based on what is on YOUR site.

Not true.

Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:

*#*$!ography, adult or mature content
*Violent content
*Content related to racial intolerance or advocacy against any individual, group or organisation
*Excessive profanity
*Hacking/cracking content
*Gambling or casino-related content
*Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia content
*Sales of beer or hard alcohol
*Sales of tobacco or tobacco-related products
*Sales of prescription drugs
*Sales of weapons or ammunition (e.g. firearms, firearm components, fighting knives, stun guns)
*Sales of products that are replicas or imitations of designer goods
*Sales or distribution of coursework or student essays
*Content regarding programs which compensate users for clicking ads or offers, performing searches, surfing websites or reading emails
*Any other content that is illegal, promotes illegal activity or infringes on the legal rights of others

[google.com...]

/edit/ added
To view list you must click on "View full content policies" link.

[Lame_Wolf]

Sites with Google ads

But what if the page doesn't have adsense on it.
The OP never mentioned if they had adsense on the page that they are linking from.

You also forgot to include the bit before that...

Publishers may not place AdSense code on pages with content that violates any of our content guidelines. Some examples include content that is adult, violent or advocating racial intolerance.

The OP never stated that he was going to add adsense to the page. He was linking to another site.

And for all we know, the site in question MAY have had permission to use whatever videos are there.

I have some copyrighted stuff on my site, but I do not have adsense on them.

And like what someone else stated, it depends on the site. But for all we know, this site may behave as quickly as youtube etc.

Lets look at some of these so-called guidelines.

#*$!ography, adult or mature content...

That's open to interpretation. What is okay in one country could get you a flogging in others.

Violent content
Hmmm, so is Tom and Jerry. But you'd let your kids watch it, yes ?

Excessive profanity
To say "Piss" in the USA is okay... even for kids TV. But frowned upon in the UK. WebmasterWorld is loaded is piss, pissed, unbepissed, so I better not link to here ;)

Gambling or casino-related content
Why can I not link to a casino ? Just because the USA doesn't allow gambling as such, other countries do.

What if I have a site about Vegas ? I can link to hotels etc but not link to a casino ? I bet I can find loads of backlinks on Casino sites that have adsense on them.

Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia content
Google shows adverts for the above. tut tut.

Sales of tobacco or tobacco-related products
Google shows adverts for the above. tut tut.

Sales of weapons or ammunition
Google shows adverts for the above. tut tut.

Sales of products that are replicas or imitations of designer goods
Google shows adverts for the above. tut tut.

So, any site linking to Google can get their account banned.

The TOS is ambiguous and has been out of date for over a year.

Some of my pages would break the TOS but I do not put adsense on those pages. So, according to you and adsense TOS that anyone linking to me can get banned. I don't think so :)

[rocker]

But what if the page doesn't have adsense on it.
The OP never mentioned if they had adsense on the page that they are linking from.

Regardless if AdSense is on the page the OP is linking from the TOS clearly states:

Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:

The TOS is ambiguous and has been out of date for over a year.

Agreed. However, we did agree to them.

[Lame_Wolf]

Since my last post, I did a quick search and found a site that you can download full TV episodes. That site had adsense on it.

Now back to your statement...

Regardless if AdSense is on the page the OP is linking from the TOS clearly states:

Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:

Like I said before, my site has copyrighted content in places. It is clearly stated as such. Google reviewed my site and gave it the green light.

The OP hasn't stated if the site in question claims to be illegal or not. We do not know if the site in question is allowed to show these videos.
We are webmasters, not legal experts.

What is stopping me making a site... getting my competitors to link to it... the alter the site completely... then report them to adsense for linking to it ?

If this site is NOT related to the OP's site, then don't link to it.

What about sites that have forums or blogs with them ? Often forums and blogs are hotlinkers, swearing etc. The main site is okay, but you are saying that they could get banned because the blog/forum breaks the TOS.

I report a lot of sites. What I have noticed recently is that they give them time to change things, rather than an instant ban. Not always, but more often than not, they give the chance.

I dictate who I decide to link to on my site, not Google, not Bing, not her indoors.

[Lame_Wolf]

Agreed. However, we did agree to them.

Yes, but when I agreed to them, they were valid. :)

[Lame_Wolf]

I wouldn't link to the site in question because it tries to install trojans.

So, OP... regardless of adsense or not... DO NOT LINK TO THEM.

[rocker]

Lame_Wolf not sure why you are running all those different scenarios at me. In my first response I replied to your statement about linking to whoever you want with a quote from AdSense TOS.

You can link to whoever you want. Adsense is based on what is on YOUR site.

Not true

Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:

*#*$!ography, adult or mature content
*Violent content
*Content related to racial intolerance or advocacy against any individual, group or organisation
*Excessive profanity
....

You can certainly interpret their TOS anyway you like. However, I am pretty much sticking to the way I see it..

[Lame_Wolf]

You can certainly interpret their TOS anyway you like. However, I am pretty much sticking to the way I see it..

Each to their own.

According to the TOS, anyone linking to Google should be banned.

Myspace is famous for hotlinking and using other people's copyrighted content, and it would be easy for Google to detect such activity. So, According to the TOS, most people linking to Myspace should be banned.

Anyway, I build my sites for my visitors, not for Google etc.

You cannot expect a webmaster to fully check every page of every site they link to...AND know as much as Google's legal experts.

[Lame_Wolf]

From TOS...

Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:

#*$!ography, adult or mature content
Violent content

I better remove my faerie tales* site then. As you know, faerie tales are about murder, kidnapping, breaking and entering, abuse etc. etc.


* I don't have such a site, but a good example of something that is innocent, but according to the TOS could get other sites banned if they link to it.

I think I will see a sunrise on a Californian beach before that happens ;)

[Lame_Wolf]

Lame_Wolf not sure why you are running all those different scenarios at me.

Because they are all valid reasons why it's stupid, open to abuse and petty.

Shoot, inbetween posts I found a number of sites that sell ceremonial tobacco.
Tobacco is not allowed, yet not only did these pages show adverts, but there are a ton of sites (with and without adsense on them) linking to those sites.

Give me more time and I could find 1000s of sites that break the TOS like that.
And that is not including sites that link to Google (which IMO breaks its own TOS)

Can you honestly say that every page on every site that you link to fully complies to the adsense rules [including updated privacy policy]

And do you regularly recheck every page on every site to see if they are still complying to the rules ?

[rocker]

Lame_Wolf, again and for the final time. You told the OP that

You can link to whoever you want. Adsense is based on what is on YOUR site.

I merely corrected you with a quote from AdSense TOS and a link to the page that states your statement was incorrect.

I am not going to debate with you as to whether the TOS are outdated, stupid, vague, ambiguous or whatever. Or, that there are millions of sites out there that are breaking AdSense TOS. That is something you need to take up with AdSense.

[Lame_Wolf]

Lame_Wolf, again and for the final time. You told the OP that
You can link to whoever you want. Adsense is based on what is on YOUR site.

Yep, and I stand by that.

[Lame_Wolf]

If I were solely linking to torrent sites [clearly breaks TOS] is one thing, but if I have a 10,000 page site and I have one link on one page, then I cannot see how I will be banned, or anyone how links to me will be.

I think it will also depend on how you are advertising the link, where it is positioned, how many links to that and other illegal sites.

Like everything with Google and Adsense, nothing is clear cut.

[netmeg]

You can't link to excessive profanity?

Guess I better take off all the links to my twitter account then.

[JS_Harris]

Link to whatever you like, it's legal. You are however responsible for those links. If they go to anything illegal or adult you might find your site suffering a search index penalty.