10+ years ago I created an annual list of websites that FORBADE you from linking to them, DEMANDED you write to ask for permission or LIMITED links to only their home page. Royal Mail even promised to post me a paper licence.
Now a decade has passed, let’s see who’s still doing it … And yes I’ve linked to your websites to prove this.
I’m tempted to think that most of these sites just have some ancient terms copy that they never think about and don’t really care about. Or that the original intention was more about hotlinking than deeplinking. But I’m not so sure. When a site says “…you may only link to the homepage of our website. You must not create a link to any other page of our website” — that’s pretty darn clear (and ridiculous).
I’m also not clear on the law here. I suppose it would be national laws? Are there any countries that have laws on the books this way one way or another? There was a recent ruling regarding website accessibility in the US, but that surely doesn’t weigh in on what you’re allowed to link to. It’s something too dumb for a law to even be relevant right‽ It’s like how there isn’t a law about licking 9-volt batteries.