Criteria
for Acceptable Web Pages
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The web page should provide information helpful to Scouts working on merit badges requirements. |
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The web page needs to provide content that is of immediate assistance without cost to the Scout. |
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The commercial nature of the site (if any) should not be overbearing on the pages that are providing free information. |
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Also, the better and more unique the information on your site is, the more likely we will make use of it. |
Note #1: Localized programs are wonderful for local Scouts but MeritBadge.com only uses links which help ALL Scouts no matter where they live.
Note #2: MeritBadge.com does not list troop, district, or council web sites. There are other web sites which specialize in this.
Note #3: Commercial sites need not apply unless they provide free useful information directly on their web site.
Here are some examples:
| Bad Examples | Good Examples |
| A whitewater canoeing site where you can book a trip that is designed to help you earn a merit badge. | A whitewater canoeing site that provides tips and hints in addition to selling trips. |
| A troop web site. | A page on a troop's web site with useful hints and tips on the prevention of hypothermia. |
| A web site that sells books on hiking and backpacking. | A web site with tips, hints, trail maps, and other info that also sells books. |
We would love to include your site if it is beneficial to Boy Scouts and meets our criteria. If you feel your site meets our criteria, please return to the Submit New Resource Links page and submit your link.
Respectability
When MeritBadge.com puts links on it's web site, it tries to link only to respectable pages with information that would not be inappropriate for youth members of Scouting. According to our web data at the beginning of August 2004, MeritBadge.com had 11,585 links. Of those links, 2,155 were connected to pages outside this web site.
All those links were reviewed for appropriate content before they were posted and they are periodically reviewed as well. Even so, web sites come and go. Furthermore, with those that stay content and philosophy may change. So if you see something objectionable, please send us feedback and we will review the pages in question.
However, it is not our policy to pretend that the web doesn't connect all pages together regardless of content. No matter where you start on the web, if a web site links to anything outside it's own pages, you will eventually arrive at something that is objectionable to somebody. Therefore, I think it is prudent to give some examples of links that have been removed and links that have not.
Example #1
A link from Orienteering goes to a page that has been converted to a search page having nothing to do with orienteering. LINK REMOVED.
Example #2
A link from Swimming goes to a site that was completely changed. The new web site had very little useful information on it and now includes a link to a page full of adult sites. LINK REMOVED.
Example #3
A link from Bird Study goes to a nationally recognized leading web site in outdoor activities with thousands of pages of information. A visitor complains that there is a page on that site titled "campsite sex etiquette". Despite trying, said page could not be found. Even if it could be found, removing a link to such a large scale resource would be like refusing to use your local library because they have some hot, steamy romance novels. LINK KEPT.
Example #4
A link from Reptile and Amphibian Study goes to a useful page on a web site owned by a place of business which sells reptiles and supplies. A visitor complains that he sent an email to the store owner requesting a donation of supplies. (Excuse me?!? PLEASE do not do things like this!!!) The store owner told the visitor that he does not support Scouting because they don't allow gay leaders. LINK KEPT. (Please note there was absolutely nothing about gays or Scouting on this web site, either positive or negative.)
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