Author: Rose DesRochers
The internet is a powerful tool and internet users should use it responsibility. Internet etiquette refers to the standards for proper behavior on the Internet. Hotlinking to images is a violation of Internet etiquette.
The majority of image hotlinking comes from blogs, discussion forums, and
websites like MySpace and Stumbleupon. As a long time Internet user, I can tell
you that image hotlinking has always been a major concern. While it’s
questionable on whether or not hotlinking is copyright infringement, it is a
theft issue.
Hotlinking, also known as bandwidth theft is direct linking to a web site's
files. When you link to an image on someone else’s server instead of saving the
image to your computer and uploading it to your blog you are stealing that
websites bandwidth.
Most websites have a limited amount of data transfer (or bandwidth) allowed. If
they go over this limit, it costs them extra. Stealing bandwidth therefore
unnecessarily increases the cost of hosting. Also, with many hosts limiting the
amount of bandwidth a site can use monthly, their site could be shut down for
exceeding bandwidth quota.
Though it is the webmaster's responsibility to prevent the unauthorized remote
loading of images from their site by uploading an .htaccess file to their
server, anyone hotlinking is doing something that truly is unethical. As a
webmaster, hotlinking is certainly not something that I appreciate.
If you wish to republish an image, the proper thing to do is to save the image
to your computer and upload it to your blog or a free image host. Make sure that
you obtain permission from the original author before you upload it and before
publication to your blog takes place.
The solution for webmasters dealing with hotlinking is to use an .htaccess file.
It’s very simple to implement and it works beautifully!
If you are using Wordpress, there is a hotlink protection plugin that you can
install which fights bandwidth theft.
A word to the wise, please don't hotlink. Hotlinking is definitely not proper
Internet etiquette.
Rose DesRochers is the founder of
Blogger Talk Blog Community and Blog Forum, a friendly fast growing blogging
portal, offering bloggers support, advice, tools, tips and information about
blogs and blogging. She is also the administrator of
Today's Woman Writing Community, a
supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. Visit her blog at
Rose DesRochers- World
Outside my Window
