I'm currently working on setting up an organization/group/type site. For one part of the site I want to include stats, facts, and real-life stories that I have found on various other websites. I plan to do this by adding it with my website in a "quote" function. Giving credit to the original site and author. Along with a link to their site.

Can I do this just by doing that and giving complete credit or do I need to get permission from the other site before doing so?

There is one site in particular that I want to post information from and give them credit back to but when I attempted to contact the original site owner it was met with at first a returned email saying that it doesn't exist, then when I found an alternative email there was no response. I'm kind of thinking this site is no longer being operated.

Some sites specifically say you can't use any content or even link to it without their permission. You may want to look these sites over good to see if any such statement exists anywhere.

Especially with quoting stuff, I'd be careful. I generally try to get permission if I'm using something or even linking to some place. I especially like to get permission to link if it's a small, personal site. I don't worry about linking to commercial sites, big well-known sites, that sort of thing. I guess in a way I see it as the same as whether I'd give someone the address and phone of some place - Walmart, yeah, but yours, no.

If I were using any information from the site, I would absolutely try to get permission. I think it's just good ethics.

My brother thinks I'm a little nuts, and I know a lot of people consider that once it's on the internet, it's like public domain. I disagree. If I put a book in my front yard and anyone who walks by can pick it up and see it, it doesn't mean they can steal it or steal the words in it. I would not want people using stuff from my site without my permission. So it just kind of goes back to that respect thing - you never know how the other party might feel about it. What if I don't want my real life story on your site?

Although I don't think I'd worry much about facts. Lots of statistical data and facts can be found all over the place. It's not like it's personal info.

This is all just my opinion and I tend to be fairly conservative about that kind of thing. In a legal sense, I really don't know, other than that laws have never really caught up with the internet. But I think my ethics are better than laws, so I've always felt I'm pretty safe.

Thank you for your reply & advice.

I'm going to follow what you said and try to get permissions from those with personal sites, if I am unable to get it then it won't get added to my site.

I'd rather get the website up and running on the right foot instead of having it upset a lot of people in the end.

Thanks again!

I believe you are allowed to use quotes. They still have to give credit to the original author, and it can't be a complete copy, but you are allowed to say "Joe Shmo said 'la la la'" without getting into trouble. Also if it is for academic purposes your are allowed more leniency.