There'll be more deep thinking about deep-linking

A Danish court's decision to come down heavily on a website for providing direct links to news stories on other sites has brought to light an old but very valid web argument.

Newsbooster has been forced to remove links on its sites to stories written by newspapers who are members of the Danish Newspaper Publishers Association (DNPA).

Why? Well, the newspapers feel this so-called 'deep-linking' could de-value its banner adds. If people visiting their sites bypass the home page the adverts there simply won't be seen.

This isn't the first time content owners have got hot under the collar over the issue, which for some is also about intellectual property. Not so for the hardcore cyber-liberties supporters who have always argued that if it goes on the web it's public property.

In fact, concerns about deep-linking have been raging for years. A case between two Shetland news sites first brought the issue to light in the UK but since the only punishment handed out was a measly slap on the wrist, the internet and companies like Newsbooster continued to flourish.

But times are hard for internet publishers who continue to struggle to make their sites pay.

So could this injunction finally represent the beginning of the end for deep-linking? Certainly not. Although the European Copyright Directive applies across all member states, each case would be judged individually. Indeed, UK-based news search site NewsNow.co.uk thinks the DNPA got lucky with the judge residing over its case.

The legal eagles certainly think there are no signs the Newsbooster case will lead to a flurry of similar cases elsewhere in Europe. And NewsNow says it isn't bracing itself for a legal onslaught.

Newsbooster continues to argue the majority of sites are in favour of its service - which charges visitors via subscription - because it boosts traffic levels.

Strangely though, NewsNow.co.uk - which tends to be a reliable source for timely news across the net - this afternoon produced zero returns on a headline search for Newsbooster.