The IT Law Wiki
The IT Law Wiki

Definition[]

Navigation is the process of moving between websites and moving from page to page within a website. Navigation can be aided by the use of search engines, hyperlinks, and other aids.

Overview[]

As noted by the U.S. Supreme Court:

Navigating the Web is relatively straightforward. A user may either type the address of a known page or enter one or more keywords into a commercial ‘search engine’ in an effort to locate sites on a subject of interest. A particular Web page may contain the information sought by the "surfer," or, through its links, it may be an avenue to other documents located anywhere on the Internet. Users generally explore a given Web page, or move to another, by clicking a computer ‘mouse’ on one of the page’s icons or links. Access to most Web pages is freely available, but some allow access only to those who have purchased the right from a commercial provider. The Web is thus comparable, from the readers’ viewpoint, to both a vast library including millions of readily available and indexed publications and a sprawling mall offering goods and services.[1]

References[]

  1. Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S. 844, 852, 117 S. Ct. 2329, 2335 (1997)(full-text).

See also[]