City of Haverhill Website Linking Policy

City of Haverhill Website Linking Policy

1. Purpose

The City of Haverhill (“City”) provides this Linking Policy to outline guidelines for linking to and from the City’s official website. These guidelines ensure that external links maintain the integrity, security, and credibility of the City’s digital presence while serving a clear public purpose. The policy aims to prevent any appearance of endorsement while maintaining a useful and informative website for residents, businesses, and visitors.

2. Links to the City of Haverhill Website

External organizations may link to the City of Haverhill’s official website (www.haverhillma.gov) under the following conditions:

• Links should direct users to the official homepage or relevant subpages without framing or altering City content.
• Linking to the City’s website does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or approval by the City of Haverhill.
• Websites linking to the City’s website should not misrepresent their relationship with the City.
• The City reserves the right to request the removal of any link that misrepresents, provides misleading information, or conflicts with City policies.
• Websites must not use the City’s name, logo, or other branding elements without prior written permission.

3. Outbound Links from the City of Haverhill Website

The City of Haverhill may provide links to external websites that offer valuable resources to the public. These external links will be limited to organizations that meet the following criteria:

• Government agencies (local, state, and federal).
• Educational institutions and nonprofit organizations that support the City’s mission.
• Public-private partnerships where the City has a formal agreement.
• Public service organizations that provide valuable resources or assistance to Haverhill residents.
• Organizations supporting economic development, tourism, arts, culture, and recreation.
• Outsourced government service providers contracted by the City.

The City will not link to:

• Commercial or for-profit websites unless they are directly related to a City partnership, service, or public facility.
• Political organizations or campaign-related sites.
• Websites containing offensive, misleading, or unlawful content.
• Sites that charge a fee or require a subscription to access key public information.

The City of Haverhill is not responsible for the content, security, or availability of third-party websites. Once users leave the City’s website, they are subject to the policies of the new site.

4. Advertising and Sponsorships on the City’s Website

The City of Haverhill does not permit commercial advertising on its website. However, the City may acknowledge sponsors or donors under the following conditions:

• The sponsor’s name, logo, and website link may be displayed.
• The sponsor’s tagline may be included if it identifies rather than promotes the organization.
• No comparative or qualitative descriptions of the sponsor’s products/services will be allowed.
• Sponsorship recognition is limited to a reasonable timeframe (e.g., during an event or initiative).

The City will not allow advertisements, promotional materials, or direct endorsements of private businesses unless they operate on City-owned property or have a contractual relationship with the City to provide services to the public.

5. Public Service Links

The City may include public service lists of organizations or businesses that provide services directly related to a City department’s mission. Such lists may be displayed on the website or linked to an external website maintained by a public or nonprofit agency. Any list maintained by a private entity must:

• Include all licensed or legitimate service providers in the relevant category.
• Serve a public purpose and be directly related to a City service or program.
• Be reviewed by the appropriate City department to ensure fairness and accuracy.

The City will not provide direct links to individual businesses from public service lists unless explicitly authorized under this policy.

6. Political and Election-Related Links

To prevent the appearance of bias, the City of Haverhill will not link to any website that:

• Supports or opposes a candidate for public office.
• Endorses a political party or ballot initiative.
• Contains partisan political content.

The only exception is the Massachusetts Board of Elections, which may be linked to for official election information.

7. Enforcement and Authority

The City of Haverhill Technology Department is responsible for enforcing this policy. The Department may:

• Remove links that violate this policy.
• Deny requests for new links that do not serve a clear public purpose.
• Require website contractors working with City departments to comply with this policy.

For any questions regarding this policy, please contact the City of Haverhill Technology Department at info@haverhillma.gov.