Public Protests NPR Link Policy

Wired Magazine ^ | 2:00 a.m. June 20, 2002 PDT | By Farhad Manjoo

[Forgiven_Sinner]

When huge, nameless, faceless corporations try to impose "linking policies" upon webmasters who want to point to the company's site, people usually react in a predictable way. They get mad, they spitefully put up dozens of policy-violating links, and they bemoan, once more, the fact that some folks still don't understand that if you don't want to be linked you shouldn't be on the Web.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

NPR's hypocrisy speaks for itself. The publishing of web links is protected by the constitution's first amendment. They are pointers to information, not the information itself. I am speechless against this fatuous policy. Perhaps my fellow Freepers will have some cogent and pungent comments.

The Wired article, by the way, has several unauthorized links to NPR in it.

[DMDTX]

I just posted an "illegal" NPR link to my website. I am waiting for the lawyers to come knocking on my door.

[mhking]

NPR retreated from this position as noted by Wired News and other outlets several days later.

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,53543,00.html
NPR Retreats, Link Stink Lingers
By Farhad Manjoo

2:00 a.m. June 28, 2002 PST
In response to furious criticism of its online linking policy, National Public Radio will no longer require webmasters to ask permission to link to NPR.org.

Full Story

[TN Republican]

Maybe the Car Talk and tote bag people aren't evil, but the filthy communists on All Things Considered certainly are.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I think this was simply a clever scheme to get NPR linked to as much as possible. Publicity.