WebCite

WebCite

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Type of business
Type of site	Web archiving
Available in	English
Traded as
Founded
Dissolved
Predecessor(s)
Successor(s)
Headquarters

WebCite was a web archiving service designed to provide a permanent digital archive of web pages and other online content. It was widely used by academics, researchers, and publishers to ensure that references to online sources remained accessible over time, even if the original content was altered or removed.

History

WebCite was founded in 1997 by Günter Eysenbach, a researcher in the field of health informatics. The service was developed to address the problem of "link rot," where web pages cited in academic literature become unavailable over time. WebCite allowed users to create a snapshot of a web page at a specific point in time, which could then be cited in academic publications.

Functionality

WebCite provided a simple interface for users to archive web pages. Users could submit a URL to WebCite, which would then capture the content of the page, including text, images, and other media. The archived page was assigned a unique URL, which could be used in citations. This ensured that readers could access the exact version of the page that was referenced, even if the original page changed or was deleted.

Features

• Permanent Archiving: WebCite created a permanent copy of web pages, preserving them for future reference.
• Citation Support: The service provided a stable URL for each archived page, which could be used in academic citations.
• Metadata Capture: WebCite captured metadata about the archived page, such as the date and time of archiving, to provide context for the snapshot.

Usage in Academia

WebCite was particularly popular in academic publishing, where the reliability of references is crucial. Many journals and publishers recommended or required the use of WebCite for citing online sources. This practice helped to mitigate the impact of link rot on the academic record.

Challenges and Limitations

Despite its utility, WebCite faced several challenges:

• Funding and Sustainability: As a non-commercial service, WebCite struggled with funding and resource constraints, which eventually led to its inactivity.
• Technical Limitations: The service could not archive all types of web content, such as dynamic pages or content behind paywalls.

Current Status

As of 2023, WebCite is inactive. The service ceased accepting new submissions, and its future remains uncertain. However, existing archives remain accessible, providing a valuable resource for researchers and academics.

Also see

• Internet Archive
• Wayback Machine
• Digital preservation
• Link rot
• Open access