6. Prior art made available to the public anywhere in the world by non-written disclosure
6.4 Internet disclosures
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A revised version of this publication entered into force. |
As a matter of principle, disclosures on the internet form part of the prior art. Information disclosed on the internet or in online databases is considered to be publicly available as of the date the information was publicly posted. Internet websites often contain highly relevant technical information. Certain information may even be available only on the internet from such websites. This includes, for example, online manuals and tutorials for software products (such as video games) or other products with a short life cycle.
As regards establishing the publication date and the standard and burden of proof, in particular with technical journals or "print equivalent" publications, the principles as laid down in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO (GL/EPO G‑IV, 7.5.1-GL/EPO G‑IV, 7.5.6) apply mutatis mutandis.