Third-party websites and items of web content
Advisory
Guidance around third-party scenarios will be included in the training for web editors of University-supported web editing platforms such as T4 and ELE, so if this is your role you're not expected to read the information on this page.
However, the regulations around third-party content can be complex. So if you're not a web editor but you have particular question in this area, or you are a web editor and need clarification, links to information on this topic have been gathered together here so that any third-party query can be answered in one place.
Third party definitions
It can help to understand that, in the area of web accessibility, the term 'third party' (or 'third-party') can mean different things. Three definitions have been numbered here, for ease of reference in the information on the rest of the page.
1. 'Third party' when the term is used to refer to people
In this context, 'third party' means an individual or organisation outside the University.
2. 'Third party' when the term is used to refer to websites or items of web content
In this context, 'third party' is legislatively defined as that which is not funded, developed or under the control of the University. This is important because it's used to establish regulatory responsibilities.
3. 'Third party' when the term is used in relation to web editing platforms
In this context, 'third party' means an application that is not part of the web editing platform being used to create a website. For example, when uploading a Word document to T4, Word is a 'third-party' application in relation to T4 – the document is uploaded to T4, but it was not created using T4.
Collated third party guidelines
Some of the guidelines below link to the exemptions page. This should not be taken to mean that the described situation is automatically exempt from accessibility regulations, rather that it may be exempt in certain circumstances, which the linked text will explain.
If you're intending to:
- create an item of web content using a third-party application (third party definition 3):
- and you'll be uploading or embedding it into T4, see: third-party content created, uploaded or embedded by T4 editors.
- and you'll be uploading it to ELE, see the general guidance for ELE editors on SharePoint (staff only – link opens in new window).
- and you'll be uploading or embedding it into a stand-alone website or a third-party website (third party definition 2), see Guidelines B: creating an item of web content using a third-party application.
- In the case of uploading your content to a third-party website, you should also refer to content created by the University and hosted on a third-party website on the exemptions page.
- In the case of embedding your content from the third-party website back into your own website, you should also refer to content created by the University and hosted on a third-party website, which is then embedded back into a University website on the exemptions page.
- create a website or content in conjunction with one or more third-parties (third party definition 1), see partnership web content.
- edit a website that has been created by a third party (third party definition 1) and then passed to you to maintain, see stand-alone websites.
- commission a third party to:
- create a website, see Guidelines E: commissioning a third party to create a website.
- create an item of web content, see Guidelines F: commissioning a third party to create an item of web content.
- link to content outside your website, see linking to content outside your website (also known as external links) on the exemptions page.
- host web content on a University website, where that content:
- has not been commissioned by the University
- has been created by a third-party (third party definition 1)
- procure third-party software (third party definition 3) for the purpose of creating web content, see Guidelines D: procuring a third-party application to produce items of web content.
