Nikkei Wants A Closed Web

Japan’s largest business newspaper, the Nikkei, is outdoing Murdoch. Not only have the erected a pay wall, but they are trying to control all links referencing pages on their new web site:

Hiroko Tabuchi, Nikkei Restricts Links to Its New Web Site

Japan’s largest business newspaper, the Nikkei, joined the trend of other news sites last week by requiring readers to pay to view its Web site. But, in a twist, it also imposed a policy severely restricting links to its articles — or even its home page.

Links to Nikkei’s home page require a detailed written application. Among other things, applicants must spell out their reasons for linking to the site.

In addition, regular readers of the site will also notice that the paper has disabled the ability to right-click — which usually brings up a menu including “copy link address.” The paper’s “link policy” ends on an ominous note: “We may seek damages for any violations of these rules.” 

The Nikkei says the rules are intended to make sure its pay wall is not breached and to prevent the linking of its content from “inappropriate” sites.

If all websites did this, what would we have? The pace of the Web would slow to a crawl, as every writer or researcher would have to ask permission for the links in stories. And the largest media companies would in effect gain control of what was being said, and what was being said about their policies and opinions, simply because they could block anyone that displeased them.