Linking Ettiqette

I run a website that links to 100+ other websites. The sole purpose of this site is to link to other sites and create a portal for people that are interested in the same topic - Maine History...

That said, I wonder what people think about the following: when I find a new site to link to, I link to the site, and then email the person (if they have an email on the page or somewhere else on their site) to let them know that I have linked to them, and requesting that they reply if they want the link removed.

I have tried emailing people first and waiting for a response, but find I don't get 100% response and therefore end up not showing links that someone may actually be fine with me linking to.

I have taken my approach with the belief that people are much more likely to respond if they do not want you to link to their site, rather than saying "yeah, its fine with me."

Does this go completely against all Internet Ettiqette, or amI right in my assumption that this has probably been fought about thousands of times over, and it just depends on which frame of mind you have?

It's a catch 22 job.

If I had a site I would rather be consulted before being linked to, as for all I knew your site might be purveying pictures of scantily clad young correctly termed nonsexist unisex personages thereon. But, having said that I can see the only way you will probably draw a reaction from site operators is to link first and tell 'em after.
Out of interest why have you posted this ethical question here as it's certainly not 'yer average question!
rt

I would assume, like you, that most people would have no problem with the links, and many would not get around to replying just to tell you it's OK.

However, you had at least one person saying "I wish you would have asked first," and there may be others with even stronger feelings. Perhaps the most diplomatic solution might be to write and ask for permission, and say something like "if I don't hear from you within seven days, I'll assume there's no objection."

Rick Carter
Chair, Delphi/Paradox SIG
Cincinnati PC Users Group

I posted it here because I couldn't find another place on the board that looked better.

I posted it period, because someone replied saying "Yes the link is fine, but I suggest you ask BEFORE linking not after as that is how I & others have handled this in the past."

I understand her point, but since I can't rely on people to respond, I chose to go ahead and do the link, and if somenoe has a serious enough objection, I expect they would reply. It sounds kind of awful, but if they don't reply asking to remove the link, they can't be that against it, and it stays.

I am not talking about reciprocal links.

I run a genealogy site that links to hundreds (now) other sites. When I say "links" I mean we have a short description of someone else's site, and link to that site's homepage.

I guess what I don't get it why someone would take all the time and effort to put up a website, and then not want people to see it.

Essentially, this piece of our genealogy site is a portal to other genealogy sites based on either the US state of reference in the pages, or (in a seperate section of the site) military conflict.

It looks something like this (although prettier :
----------------------
http://www.ancetry.com
This is a pay site with a number of transcribed documents and online databases.
----------------------

That's it.

Are you talking about just links pointing to a site?

Or linking images and such?

Because if you run a high traffic site and you link an image from a smallish site - the increased traffic could push that site operators' traffic limit way up (and over!).

But just dropping a link pointing to another site should never be an issue unless your visitors are the kind to go in and cause trouble with people (on message boards, guest books, etc). From the sound of it, that's not the case.

In general, I would guess that most people would be flattered to have their site linked to.

Brian:

Are you requesting a reciprocal link back?

Those reciprocal links are so critical to search engine rankings and traffic that I often refuse to link to a site that won't link back to mine.

One of the best rules of thumb, of course, is whether they have a link on their home page to their "Links" page.

I don't see anything wrong with linking to a website. You are just helping them and your visitors find what they want.