Wall Street Journal Copyright September 24, 2002 4:11 PM Subscribe
This is about the fifth or sixth thread since July to link to an e-mailed article from the Wall Street Journal Online. I only bring this up because it violates the terms of WSJ.com's subscriber agreement, and could cause copyright problems both for the individual users linking to them and for the 'Filter.
It's on the Obscure Store too (probably was there first for all I know). If it was a problem, I'd probably hear about it.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:14 PM on September 24, 2002
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:14 PM on September 24, 2002
Let's assume, for the sake of my argument, that I was emailed this articled by my mom, or something.
I click the link that was sent to me.
I go straight to the article. So as far as I'm aware, it's a public URL, which I can link to as much as I like.
I'd be interested in hearing if this is the case with those who've posted the threads in question.
Even if a copy of the TOS is sent along with every e-mail notice, I could be getting it second-hand, in which the person who sends it to me sends only the article link.
I question whether this policy can actually be enforced anymore than them saying, "Don't make photocopies of our print articles for all of your friends." The content is completely unprotected, and at no point am I told that its use is restricted. They didn't even stick a little banner or something at the top of the page. They're effectively operating on the honor system, and if they get screwed because they can't be bothered to implement some sort of rudimentary security or something, I don't see that as the user's responsibility.
As for copyright problems, I figure it'd go no further than them sending Matt an e-mail saying, "Stop that," and him deleting the link. Same for the poster, although if it's done repeatedly, they'd obviously have a case.
posted by Su at 6:24 PM on September 24, 2002
I click the link that was sent to me.
I go straight to the article. So as far as I'm aware, it's a public URL, which I can link to as much as I like.
I'd be interested in hearing if this is the case with those who've posted the threads in question.
Even if a copy of the TOS is sent along with every e-mail notice, I could be getting it second-hand, in which the person who sends it to me sends only the article link.
I question whether this policy can actually be enforced anymore than them saying, "Don't make photocopies of our print articles for all of your friends." The content is completely unprotected, and at no point am I told that its use is restricted. They didn't even stick a little banner or something at the top of the page. They're effectively operating on the honor system, and if they get screwed because they can't be bothered to implement some sort of rudimentary security or something, I don't see that as the user's responsibility.
As for copyright problems, I figure it'd go no further than them sending Matt an e-mail saying, "Stop that," and him deleting the link. Same for the poster, although if it's done repeatedly, they'd obviously have a case.
posted by Su at 6:24 PM on September 24, 2002
Beyond what Su said, the html-email message that's sent when you email a WSJ article to someone gives that person the option of then emailing to whoever they want. Presumably, the recipients of that second emailing are also given that option, and those recipients, ad infinitum. How is posting it to MeFi any different from this unlimited forwardability WSJ has built into the system themselves? Is this any more aggregious than setting up dummy username/passwords for NYTimes.com, or worse, creating a web app that does so automatically?
Until their lawyers complain, I say link away.
posted by me3dia at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2002
Until their lawyers complain, I say link away.
posted by me3dia at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2002
You don't actually have to go through the emailing thing, check the URLs. You just add article_email/ right after the domain and voila, a no registration required WSJ link.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:19 AM on September 25, 2002
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:19 AM on September 25, 2002
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posted by dogmatic at 4:13 PM on September 24, 2002