Testing a link for ToS conflicts
-
I would like to know if there is a way to test a link to find out if it violates the ToS? For instance, I would like to link to some sites that offer Freeware versions of their commercial programs. How can I know before getting suspended if a link is OK?
Thank you,
Ed
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
-
If the company itself is offering the freeware, linking to it isn’t a problem. The problem comes if you’re linking to hacked or pirated versions of the software.
-
Thank you. I already got pinged once for linking to a friends site featuring electronic cigarettes, so I am a bit leery of what to link to.
-
Well, that’s not a freeware version of commercial software. If you can contact staff directly via your dashboard Help button then give them the exact links you want to make, they can give you a definitive answer.
-
If it is pirated copies of commercial software (music, videos, etc), I would very much expect that to be a ToS violation. However, if you are referring to an alternative software that does similar things, but is an entirely new creation, that’s usually just fine (obscure points like patent infringements should be excusable if the existence of those infringements is not obvious).
Example, Linux is an entirely new creation of a Unix OS. At least one company argued that Linux has pieces of copyrighted code they own. Another has argued that some processes in Linux infringe on certain patents. None of these have ever been proven in court because it never got that far (so it is also not certain they are wrong). But if you make a link to where to download Linux (which is free), getting dinged for that would be way out of bounds.
- The topic ‘Testing a link for ToS conflicts’ is closed to new replies.
WordPress.com Forums 