Because we offer our Bible-based material without charge, some feel that copying and posting it on other websites or on social media is acceptable. However, doing so violates the Terms of Use for our websites and has caused serious problems. As is clearly stated in those Terms, no one is permitted to “post artwork, electronic publications, trademarks, music, photos, videos, or articles from this website on the Internet (any website, file-sharing site, video-sharing site, or social network).” Why is such a restriction needed?

No one may post our copyrighted publications on other Internet sites

All the material on our websites is copyrighted. Apostates and other opposers try to use our publications on their websites to lure in Jehovah’s Witnesses and others. Planted in those sites is material designed to sow doubts in readers’ minds. (Ps. 26:4; Prov. 22:5) Others have used material from our publications or our jw.org logo in advertisements, on products offered for sale, and in mobile device apps. By securing copyright and trademark protection, we have a legal basis to prevent such misuse. (Prov. 27:12) But if we knowingly allow people, even our brothers, to post our digital content on other sites or to use the jw.org trademark to sell merchandise, the courts may not support our efforts to deter opposers and commercial enterprises.

Downloading our publications from anywhere but jw.org is potentially dangerous. Jehovah has entrusted the responsibility of providing spiritual food to “the faithful and discreet slave” alone. (Matt. 24:45) That “slave” uses only its official websites to publish spiritual food​—www.jw.org, tv.jw.org, and wol.jw.org. And we have only three official apps for mobile devices​—JW Language®, JW Library®, and JW Library Sign Language®. We can trust these products to be free of advertisements or contamination by Satan’s world. If the spiritual food passes through other channels, there is no guarantee that it has not been altered or contaminated.​—Ps. 18:26; 19:8.

Furthermore, posting our publications on websites that allow comments provides a place for apostates and other critics to sow distrust of Jehovah’s organization. Some brothers have been drawn into online debates and thus have brought added reproach on Jehovah’s name. An online forum is not an appropriate setting for “instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed.” (2 Tim. 2:23-25; 1 Tim. 6:3-5) It has also been observed that fraudulent social media accounts and websites have been created in the name of the organization, the Governing Body, and its individual members. However, no member of the Governing Body maintains a personal Web page or a presence on any social media site.

Directing people to jw.org helps to spread the “good news.” (Matt. 24:14) The digital tools we receive for use in our personal ministry are continually being improved. We would like everyone to benefit from them. Therefore, as the Terms of Use indicates, you may e-mail someone an electronic copy of a publication or share a link to material found on jw.org. By directing interested people to our official websites, we are connecting them with the one true source of spiritual food, “the faithful and discreet slave.”