Is web linking becoming illegal? A copyright case.

Yikes and copyright, Batman! Will hyperlinks be penned in and no longer free range? A big law firm tells a web site how they can and cannot link to the law firm's web site.

An online real estate web site settled with a law firm this month because they linked lawyer's bios in articles about home purchases by those lawyers.

This raises real questions about whether or not the web - whose expansion has come, in part, because of the ability to link and connect - will maintain that independence.

Let's hope this doesn't set a precedent!

For more information

• Linked Out: A case that threatens the right of Web sites to link freely. (Slate)
• BlockShopper bullied into settling over Web links (Ars Technica)