Is copying websites over the web illegal?

Question

I have ran across alot of products such as http://www.ficstar.com/web_grabber/custom_design.html
and http://www.newprosoft.com/web-content-extractor.htm and you can use this software and copy content from other web pages. I was wondering if this is legal? I guess you have to modify the pages? What is the best way of doing this?  I guess I can use a html editor like Frontpage or Nvu. So let me know, Thanks.

Goffik · Accepted Answer

If you use content from other websites without the owners permission, then it could be a breach of copyright. At the very least, its lazy and exploiting someone elses hard work.

In other words, dont steal content. Take the time to make your own.

Mike · Answer

Interlectual property over the web (and web law in general) is a hugely complicated issue that is currently being reviewed in the UK (and I'm sure in other countries too).

The problem is that if I live in England an steal the content of a German person site hosted in Spain - whose laws does the copyright come under.

This is a question currently under huge legal debate.

Stealing software that is patented not under academic license is illegal - there are international laws to prevent this, whether you do it over the web or any other way.

As for other, non registered intellectual property - like I say - the Juries still out on that one.

Obviously all this is a technical legal issue - stealing other people's content is a bad thing to do.

daocatkus · Answer

Sure it's legal. Essentially, your downloading their content when you view it anyways. Now using what you download as your own is another story.

Anonymous · Answer

No its not.

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Is copying websites over the web illegal?

4 Answers