Linking to other websites

[EnduranceNinja]

Is making a link to another website illegal if you don't ask the webmaster of that website permission? If so is it really enforced? I was thinking of making a news page that links you to popular sports news websites. Call me lazy but I figured linking to websites that have better info on the latest sports news is better than me searching for the news myself. Of course I will not label the link to be mine. An example: For cycling news click here for VELONEWS.

Thanks for your time

[Brutha]

Directly linking to another website is clearly legal, as long as that website isn't illegal.
Linking to a specific article is a bit in the grey are but general practice on the web.
Inline links (the other website gets displayed in your website) are generally not considered appropriate without asking for permission.

Differt country's do also have different laws.

[Yukio]

Yes, it seems weird.

Some people got disturbed by external links.
I think that there could be a problem with data mine.
Data mining - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If someone Google a information, he automatically assume that the results are displaying all the links and software of the Internet. With (in some cases) is obvious a tremendous mistake. Others persons could don't like people because of their average income, taxing them as opportunity hunters. Thinking that someone would be interested into their "popularity" status ... and disliking anyone that don't care enough 'about it'!

Example, popular sites comes popping up first into the Google services.
Sure that (for weird reasons) not everybody would want this type of exposition ...

One of the decisive factor that made me registered at Steve Pavlina, was the old Shareware software. When I was searching for information about the games, I found this site. Also the dates had 'strange meanings' at least for me ...

[ciarac]

Generally, the more links a site has coming into their site, the higher their traffic and pr will be, so it is not at all illegal to link to someone without their permission as long as you are not misleading anyone in any way.
But, yes, it is lazy to link to someone just because you think they display the information better.
Why would people come to your site at all?
Unless you are linking to articles that are otherwise difficult to come across in one place, e.g. if you had a website with a list of "Todays bizarre news stories" or something.
Otherwise, read it, then relay it to your audience in your own voice with your own spin.
The extra effort today will be worth it tomorrow when your traffic starts to build.