Guidance - Notices on Government Websites
Number: 13
First issued: 21 September 2000
(Revised 15 March 2008)
This guidance advises government departments and agencies on suitable copyright notices for use on their websites.
Purpose
1. To explain to government departments and agencies the notices which should be featured on their websites.
2. We have also issued separate guidance on Copyright and Publishing Notices.
3. This guidance takes into account other guidance issued by the Cabinet Office as part of the Corporate IT Strategy for Government.
Background
4. As part of the policy of encouraging re-use of official information, copyright in certain categories of official material is waived to allow it to be freely re-used (see The Future Management of Crown Copyright). Government information featured on official departmental and agency websites is covered by waiver conditions. It follows that unless departments and agencies specify otherwise, material featured on their websites can be re-used free of charge and without requiring a licence.
Why are the notices required?
5. Full and accurate notices are important because:
- it makes clear to visitors that the website or the information on it has official status;
- it explains how the information on the website can be re-used;
- it encourages users to create links to the official website.
Which notices should be featured on departmental or agency websites?
6. We advise that the following notices should be clearly featured on departmental and agency websites:
A. a general copyright statement covering the website;
B. details of how the material may be re-used and how to apply for a licence if one is required.
7. It is also important to clarify the copyright status of individual documents featured on the website, including any copyrights that are not owned by the Crown. For a detailed explanation, see Copyright and Publishing Notices.
A. Copyright statement
8. On the assumption that the information is managed by a department or agency, or a contractor acting on the department or agency’s behalf, it is appropriate to claim the website as being Crown copyright, even if some of the individual documents are not Crown copyright. Accordingly, the website should show the following statement:
© Crown copyright [followed by year in which the website was established or last amended].
B. Statements on departmental or agency websites
9. Departments and agencies should consider the range of material contained on the website and whether it may be copied without restriction. We have set out below four model statements that will cover most eventualities. We will be pleased to assist in producing variations of these notices.
Option 1: Where the Crown copyright material can be re-used with no restrictions:
© Crown copyright * [year in which the website was established or last substantially amended]
The material featured on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated. You may re-use the Crown copyright protected material (not including the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) free of charge in any format . The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication.
[Name of the Department or Agency] encourages users to establish hypertext links to this website.
For further information on Crown copyright policy and licensing arrangements, see the guidance featured on the OPSI website
Option 2: Where the Crown copyright material is core material and can be re-used for research for non-commercial purposes, private study or internal circulation within an organisation.
© Crown copyright * [year in which the website was established or was last substantially amended]
The material featured on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated. You may re-use the Crown copyright protected material (not including the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) free of charge in any format for non-commercial research, private study or internal circulation within your organisation. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication.
For any other proposed use of the material please apply for a Click-Use PSI Licence.
Office of Public Sector Information
Information Policy Team
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 4DU
e-mail: licensing@opsi.gov.uk
Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
[Name of Department or Agency] encourages users to establish hypertext links to this website.
For further information on Crown copyright policy and licensing arrangements, see the guidance featured on the OPSI website
Option 3: Where the Crown copyright material is value added and requires a specific licence to be granted.
© Crown copyright * [year in which the website was established or was last substantially amended]
The material featured on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated. The material is value added and may be downloaded to file or printer for non-commercial research and private study. For any other proposed use of the material please apply for a Click-Use Licence for value added material or by writing to:
Office of Public Sector Information
Information Policy Team
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 4DU
e-mail: licensing@opsi.gov.uk
Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
[Name of Department or Agency] encourages users to establish hypertext links to this website.
For further information on Crown copyright policy and licensing arrangements see the guidance featured on The OPSI website at: www.opsi.gov.uk/ official-publications/crown-copyright/copyright-guidance.htm.
Option 4: Where the Crown material is published by or on behalf of a department or agency that has a Delegation of Authority from the Controller of HMSO. Those with a Delegation of Authority may license the re-use of the material they produce themselves.
© Crown copyright * [year in which the website was established or was last substantially amended].
The material featured on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated. The material may be downloaded to file or printer for non-commercial research and private study. For any other proposed use of the material please apply for a licence by writing to:
[insert contact details]
Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
[Name of Department or Agency] encourages users to establish hypertext links to this website.
Data Protection
10. Anyone who publishes or makes material available which contains information about living identifiable individuals must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 which came into force on 1 March 2000. Information about the Data Protection Act and the obligations placed on those who process personal data can be obtained by visiting the Information Commissioner’s website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Conclusion
11. The copyright status of the material contained on each website and how that material can be used must be explained to all visitors to departmental and agency websites. Departments and agencies should, therefore, provide notices that can be easily understood and that encourage the widest re-use of the material.
12. We encourage departments and agencies to review their current wording in the light of the models contained in this Guidance Note. It would, therefore, be helpful if this document was circulated widely within departments and agencies, especially to those who have responsibility for managing departmental and agency websites. Current and future editions of the Guidelines for Government websites incorporate this guidance.
CAROL TULLO
Controller HMSO
Queen’s Printer