So you wanna start your own site? Great! These are guidelines that will help you run a site without worrying about being flamed or getting into a lawsuit (aka. get sued, literally!). Also make sure your site isn't a profitable site, meaning sites that don't make money, otherwise some of the guidelines will be different.

Please note I have contacted one of the staff at Anime News Network and discussed with him about the internet and news usage. This guideline are also perspective

  • If your doing a fansite the one most important thing you must have is a DISCLAIMER~! This is to prevent being sued by the original companies of your topic. Just basically say that the site is a fansite and the topic is copyrighted to so and so.
  • Never take anything from a site! You must ask permission from the owner, scanner, editor or original artist first before using the images! This is the biggest problem on the net where people tend to just take stuff from other sites just because they can. Think about the work that the artist went through inorder to create it. The only time you can take stuff is when the site Term of Usage says you can (usually with a link back credit).
  • If you do have permission to use the graphics, you should be linking them back and crediting them. This is to be polite and respectful and it states that you did not make this and your not claiming it either.
  • Never Plagerize. This means writing everything (articles, news, biography, summaries, etc) in your own words. This is also one of the major problems on the net because people are just lazy.
  • Quoting is not recommended because the site should be written from your perspective and experience not someone else's. Quoting can be used for parts of the news which I personally recommend to use it if the news is hard to re-word or if the meaning might change.
  • Copying and Pasting Data is NOT Plagerism. I'v personally asked this question to one fo the staffs at Anime News Network.
  • News can be used from any site (make sure it's reliable!) without permission as long as there is a source with a link to the original source. This is established in the Berne Convention law and the fair-use guidelines states that you must 1) Source must be linked back, 2) Re-word the article and use your own words, 3) Don't rely on one source for news and 4) make sure you have original content.

    Source: Anime News Network - Reproduction Permission

    It also states that if people tell you that you can't use their news for whatever reason than they are "ill-formed". As long as your meet the 4 guidelines, you have the rights to use any source regardless of needing their permission.

  • When making graphics on your own like layouts, avatars, etc. use RAW scans or screenshots. This means don't use wallpapers, graphics, layouts, etc. as the base of your work! This is called stealing which is illegal online and offline regardless if the work is licensed by a company. This was recently set up for the artists to be able to claim their own works.
  • Don't Lie. Lieing is bad and I'm sure everyone knows that.
  • Perferably, Don't bash, insult, swear or anything impolite on your site (unless it's a blog). Make sure you are optimistic in things and if a concern needs to be told to the public than just stress it out.
  • When you start making a site, give a name! Your site deserves your love and your should name it. Make sure the name isn't taken by someone else otherwise it can be confusing and cause impersonation problems. Go to a search engine like google.ca and type in your desired site title with quotations and see if it's taken yet. If it is, it's best to choose another one. If not than feel free to use it. This is also no excuse for using the same names like popular sites, it's basically impersonating.
  • Never steal HTML Codes from sites. If you need help with them than go to html tutorial sites.
  • Never Direct-link from other sites. This is also known as stealing bandwidth and bandwidth is paid through the hostes own money. The only time you can Direct Link is when the site says you can and provides you the html for it.
  • If things were not originally from you (info and creations) than credit the original soource/creator/artist. Otherwise you can get introuble of accidentally claiming.
  • Never claim things that weren't your original. If you made something than you can claim it but if you took something like a sprite from another site and didn't ask permission and/or credited, than this is claiming and stealing which is illegal.
  • Last but not least, PUT EFFORT AND DEDICATION!! This is a biggy. Love the site you made and be proud of it. It doesn't have to be popular or with lots of hits to be proud of your site.


And before I forget the key words to making your site sucessful are: Be Creative! Try New Things! and Be Original! Never be lazy. Of course this doesn't mean about updating cause I'm sure countless webmasters/mistress are lazy in updating but not in content or graphic wise.

*wipes sweat* Now that is long but follow these and you'll get less chances of being flamed or being sued ^^;; Good luck with your site!