Frequently Asked Questions

In this section we have provided answers to our most frequently asked questions.

Before sending us a question by email, please check here. Your question may have been already answered. We try very hard to answer all emails as we receive them.

About our new User Profile system

We have listened to your feedback and are making some changes. The new Globe and Mail User Profile is a big upgrade from the previous version.

We have consolidated the system so that you only need one account to comment on articles and blogs, create a community profile as well as access your Portfolio.

The new system requires that you use a valid email address as your username. It also limits you to one account for each email address.

If you've created an account before, you can still use your current username and password, but you will be required to upgrade your information. Upgrading is quick and simple and only asks for some basic information. Login and registrations are secure.

The changes do not affect the Stocklist or Fundlist.

So, how does this all work? Here are some FAQs that might answer your inquiries.

Q. Why can't I log in to my account?

A. The new system will recognize any existing usernames that have not been converted to the new email-based system. To update your account, log in by entering your current username and password and then complete the update form.

You will receive an email with a link. You need to click on that link to validate your account. If you ignore that email, no changes will be made to your account.

Q: Can I still use my current username and password to log in?

A: Yes, you can. However, in order to use all the new and snazzy features, you will need to convert your account to the new system.

Q: Why is the login screen asking for my email address?

A: The new system uses your email address as your unique login identifier.

Q: So, how do I convert my current account?

A: Simple, all you have to do is log in using your current username and password. After you log in, you will be asked to complete the update form.

Q: What information do I need to provide to convert my existing account?

A: You will need a valid email address, a unique display name and some other account information, which in most cases is pre-filled from your current account. You will be asked to enter your password again.

We will send you an email at the address you supplied, with a link requesting you to verify your email address. Your chosen email address and display name will be reserved for you for a period of 48 hours. You will need to click that link and verify that you own that email address before the reservation period expires. You will not be able to use your account until that happens.

Q: I don't remember the login information for my current account and I don't see any way of retrieving it. How can I get it back?

A: If you have forgotten your login details, you can follow the Forgot your email/password link.

Q: I have multiple old accounts. How do I access all of them?

A: For accounts that have not been updated, log in with your current username and password. You will be prompted to update your account.

If you need to update many accounts, simply sign in with each username and password combination. Please note that you will need to provide a unique email address for each account you are trying to update.

Q: We only have one email address. How can we update our multiple accounts?

A: You will need to obtain a new email address through your service provider or any of the web portals that offers free email accounts. You need one email address for each account you'd like to upgrade.

Q: What if I don’t want to convert my account?

A: You can choose not to convert your existing account. You will still be able to browse the site, read articles, vote on polls and recommend the articles.

You will not be able to access a Portfolio that you have created with your old account if you do not covert.

Q: What is a display name?

A: A display name is your unique identifier to others on the website. It will appear when you leave a comment or participate in a discussion.

Q: Can I change my display name?

A: No, you cannot change your display name once it is created. So choose carefully!

Q: Can I create a brand new account?

A: You sure can. If you do not wish to convert your existing account, just click the Register link to create a shiny new account. You will need to provide a valid email address, a unique display name, first and last name, country and postal/zip code.

And of course, you’d need to verify your email address by clicking on the link in the email we will send you. You will not be able to use your account until you verify your email.

Your chosen email address and display name will be reserved for you for a period of 48 hours. You will need to click that link and verify that you own that email address before the reservation period expires. You will not be able to use your account until that happens.

Q: Will I be able to use my current username and password on www.globeandmail.com after I convert?

A: No, once you convert an account, you will only be able to use your email address as your login.

Q: How do I manage my newsletter and alert settings?

A: Once you have verified your new email address, you can click on the Newsletters & Alerts tab in your Profile section to manage your alert preferences.

Q: What is the difference between Edit Account and Edit Profile?

A: Edit Account allows you to change your private account settings. These settings are not visible or accessible to anyone online

Edit Profile lets you create and/or manage your public profile that will be used to identify you on the site. You can use it to control your bio, avatar and other settings to control what others see on your public profile.

Q: Can I comment using my current account?

A: No, you will need to convert your existing account before you are able to comment on an article. Alternatively, you can register for a new account on the site.

Q: I forgot my new password. How do I get it back?

A: If your account is converted or new, you can use the Forgot your email/password link to reset your password. You will receive an email with a link. You can re-enter your new password on the resulting page.

If you ignore that email, no changes will be made to your account.

Q: Can I use the email address on my existing account to create a new account?

A: Yes, you can.

Q: The system does not accept my username or email address. Why?

A: Maybe you've forgotten you login details. You can try following the follow the Forgot your email/password link.

Q: How can I log out?

A: The Logout link is at the top of every page on the website.

Q. How can I cancel my newsletters and alerts?

A. Login to the website using the Login link at the top of the page. Once you are logged in, click on the Profile link that is located at the top of the site. Once the profile page has loaded, click on the Newsletters & Alerts tab and uncheck any newsletters and alerts that you do not wish to receive.

Q. My name appears in the comment -- please remove my comments or name.

A. Our editorial and legal policy is that we do not remove comments from articles or questions posed to guests in online discussions without a very serious reason.

This is because your comments are part of a public record. This is no different than if you are interviewed in a newspaper, or on TV or radio. Those media cannot take your quote off the printed page nor erase a tape on which they have recorded an interview.

We will, however, take a further look at the instructions/cautions/guidelines on our site to determine if they should be reworded to reflect the fact that a comment, once posted, lives in perpetuity and is indexed by search engines.

Q. I'm having problems seeing your site. What should I do?

A. View the site's technical requirements below. If you're still having difficulty, contact us by going to our Website Contacts page.

Q. Video on the site does not work.

A. There are a number of reasons why video might not work. Here are a couple of suggestions: Clear your browser’s cache and try to see if you can access the video - if not, you may need to reinstall the Flash plugin.

You may need to disable any ad-blocking software or Firefox extensions, such as Adblock or Adblock Plus. If the site works with ad-blocking disabled, you may want to add the site to your whitelist in your adblocker filter.

If you have security software installed, check that you remove ad.doubleclick.net from the block list.

Q. What are the technical requirements for the website?

A. The Globe and Mail family of websites are built using Web-standard practices and should be viewable in a wide variety of Web browsers; when viewing our sites, though, we suggest using:

Firefox 2 is no longer supported by the Mozilla Foundation.

In all instances, you'll need version 8 or higher of Macromedia's Flash player to use the Globe and Mail website. Most browsers ship with this already installed, so you probably won't need to download it separately. If you do, you can download the free player from Macromedia's website.

You also need to ensure your browser is configured to accept cookies and that it is JavaScript-enabled.

Terms and Conditions

Note that any use of Globe and Mail content is governed by our Terms and Conditions.

Q. May I link to a story on the website?

A. The Globe and Mail does not grant permission for a copy of our staff writers' material to appear on individual websites, unless licensed from The Globe and Mail. Moreover, we do not own copyright to all materials in our paper. Articles originating from news wire services or articles written by certain freelance writers are two examples of articles for which we do not own copyright.

However, you may reprint the article headline and then link to the full text of the article on our website.

The Globe and Mail also offers RSS feeds for personal use in an RSS reader or as part of a non-commercial website. Whenever Globe and Mail content is posted on your website, we require the proper format and attribution; as well, we reserve the right to require you cease distributing Globe and Mail content. For complete details, please visit our RSS section.

Q. How do I obtain permission to license a Globe and Mail article (text only) for our website?

A. Through iCopyright, The Globe and Mail is now able to offer you a convenient way to electronically license Globe and Mail articles for display on your website. Simply click on the "Print or License" button at the upper right of every eligible story on the site. In the resulting pop-up window click on “License” , if activated, and follow the instructions displayed.

N.B. A charge card is required for purchasing licensing rights

Please note that the "License this story" link will not be activated on stories that The Globe and Mail does not have the right to sublicense. Most likely the writers of those articles will have to be contacted directly for permission to reuse. They are entitled to set their own rates for reprint rights. We will try, when possible, to provide you with their contact information, but we require three to five business days to respond. Please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com.

Or, you can search for those contacts on your own. Information on how to do that is contained further along on our FAQ list.

Q. How do I locate freelance and wire service contact information?

A. Articles and columns often provide clues, at the end, on how to locate their authors directly. Examples: Mr. John Smith is an Economics Professor at the University of Toronto, or Mr. Richard Jones is a Vice President of Investment for ABC Mutual Funds.

Any article that has "Special to the Globe and Mail" under the reporter's name or at the very bottom of the piece signifies freelanced content. A quick Google search of the person's name will often give you their contact information.

Many articles are supplied by wire services such as Guardian News Service, Reuters, etc. Contact information can be easily located through the Internet.

If you haven't been able to locate contact information using the methods outlined above, please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com and allow three to five business days for a response.

Q. How do I purchase an article (text only) for reprinting in a newsletter or magazine?

A. Simply click on the "Print of License" button at the upper right of every eligible story on the site. In the resulting pop-up window click on “License” , if activated, and follow the instructions displayed under "Republish this Article."

N.B. A charge card is required for purchasing reprint rights

Please note that the "License" button will not be activated on articles that The Globe and Mail does not have the right to sublicense. Most likely the writers of those articles will have to be contacted directly for permission to reuse. They are entitled to set their own rates for reprint rights. We will try, when possible, to provide you with their contact information, but we require three to five business days to respond. Please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com.

Q. How do I purchase an article (text only) for distributing in hard copy to my clients?

A. Simply click on the "Print or License" button at the upper right of every eligible story on the site. In the resulting pop-up window click on “License” , if activated, and follow the instructions displayed.

N.B. A charge card is required for purchasing reprint rights

Please note that the "License" button will not be activated on articles that The Globe and Mail does not have the right to sublicense. Most likely the writers of those articles will have to be contacted directly for permission to reuse. They are entitled to set their own rates for reprint rights. We will try, when possible, to provide you with their contact information, but we require three to five business days to respond. Please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com.

Q. How do I purchase an article for reprinting in a book?

A. First, locate the article you are seeking permissions for by searching our online archives at http://www.theglobeandmail.com

When you have located the article, simply click on the "Print or License" button at the upper right of every eligible story on the site. In the resulting pop-up window click on “License”, if activated, and follow the instructions displayed under "Republish this Article."

N.B. A charge card is required for purchasing reprint rights.

We regret that, for both legal and technical reasons, articles are sold on a "text only" basis. Photos, charts and any other accompanying illustrations are not available for reprinting or resale.

Please note that the "License" button will not be activated on articles that The Globe and Mail does not have the right to sublicense. Most likely the writers of those articles will have to be contacted directly for permission to reuse. They are entitled to set their own rates for reprint rights. We will try, when possible, to provide you with their contact information, but we require three to five business days to respond. Please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com

Q. How do I purchase photos, tables, charts, graphics or illustrations that I have seen on the web site or in the newspaper?

A. We do not currently resell or allow reuse of photos or illustrations produced by Globe and Mail staff.

Q. How do I purchase freelance or wire photos that I have seen in the newspaper or on your website?

A. As a rule, the credit line under the right-hand side of every photo will give you a few clues about how to proceed. If a credit reads "John Doe/The Globe and Mail," this is a staff photo and is not for sale. If the credit reads "John Doe for the Globe and Mail," this is freelanced and the photographer retains copyright for the picture. Most freelance photographers have their own websites that can be located easily through a Google search. If there is no credit at all under the photo, this generally signifies that it is a handout and doesn't belong to us. An example would be pictures of a theatre production. Clues to their source can normally be found within the text of the article. All other photos will have AP, CP, Corbis or other credits that can be followed up easily through the Internet.

We will try, when possible, to provide you with their contact information if needed, but we require three to five business days to respond. Please send an e-mail to freelancecontacts@globeandmail.com.

Q. How do I purchase a full-page reprint from The Globe and Mail?

A. Please click on https://customer.globeandmail.ca/circcsReprintInfo.asp for more information on obtaining a full-page (only black & white offered) paper reprint.

For custom reprint requests, please click on the "Print or License" button at the upper right of every eligible story on the site. In the resulting pop-up window click on “License” , if activated, and follow the instructions displayed for "Other Permissions and Inquiries" to send an e-mail to us.

Q. Can I use Globe and Mail articles in the classroom?

A. If you are a teacher, instructor or professor in Canada, you are covered by a license from Access Copyright. This license allows you to photocopy and distribute one copy per student of an individual article from The Globe and Mail. Additionally, your educational institution is allowed to create print coursepacks on your behalf containing articles from The Globe and Mail. Please contact permissions@accesscopyright.ca to obtain clearance to upload a Globe and Mail article to a course management website or to include an article in a password-protected electronic coursepack.

Q. Where can I find Globe and mail headlines for use in documentaries or television programs?

A. We market our institutional online product, "Canada's Heritage from 1844," through ProQuest to major public libraries and universities across Canada. It contains the electronic full-page archive of The Globe starting from June 1844 (four current years are embargoed). Please contact your public or university library for instructions on how to access this product.

Important note: All headlines belong to The Globe and Mail. You can film any headline but you MUST AVOID all other items on the page (including its related article) because we may not have the right to sublicense such content. Sublicensing is not available at this time.

Please read our terms and conditions for more details: Terms and Conditions

Q. Can I use The Globe and Mail in movies and TV?

A. Please contact Sean Humphrey, Director, Marketing, for permission: 416-585-3348 or shumphrey@globeandmail.com

Requests for The Globe and Mail newspaper boxes to be used as props in movies:

Please contact Tanya Essarie, Client Services Co-ordinator: 416-585-5194 or tessarie@globeandmail.com

Q. Can an organization license an electronic full feed of The Globe and Mail for their intranet?

A. Yes, for more information on full feeds, please contact mhertz@globeandmail.com.

Q. Where can I find a specific article?

A. To search for articles that appeared in The Globe and Mail, try our searchable archives located through the site Search box located on the upper right-hand corner of every page, in red.

Input your search under the News tab and click “Search”. It is important to note that some material older than 30 days is available only to Globe Plus subscribers. To learn more about Globe Plus go to http://gold.globeinvestor.com/plus/index.html

Due to copyright and electronic publishing rights restrictions, we are unable to publish certain content on globeandmail.com, as, for example, articles from The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. We also do not include photographs, charts or other images in our searchable archives.

Articles published prior to 2000 are not stored in our online archive on globeandmail.com.

Q. How do I get access to articles that were published before 2000?

A. There are several ways to get access to articles published before Jan. 1, 2000:

1) Globe and Mail content dating back to Nov. 14, 1977, is available on several premium content, fee-based subscription online services. For more information, contact mhertz@globeandmail.com or check with your company’s information centre or public library.

2) Most libraries have electronic or paper indexes of The Globe and Mail available for searching. From there, date and page number can be found, making it possible to look at the paper on microfilm or in back issues. Even the smallest libraries have access to these services through Interlibrary Loans.

3) Through our relationship with ProQuest, we market our institutional product, “Canada’s Heritage from 1844,” to major public libraries and universities across Canada. It contains the electronic full-page archive of The Globe starting from June 1844 (four current years are embargoed). Coverage includes all stories, plus thousands of images, ads, classifieds, births and deaths dating back to the pre-Confederation era.

4) The Globe and Mail has a Quick Search Service for those who want us to find articles for you. A Globe and Mail representative will do an online search for you, and send you the results via email or by post

Globe and Mail newspaper subscribers are charged $15 for the first article in any Quick Search session and $5 per article for each additional article within the same session. Non-subscribers are charged $25 for the first article in any Quick Search session and $5 per article for each additional article.

Quick Search is available at (416) 585-5273 or 1-800-387-5400, ext. 5273. Hours are 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (EST) or you can send an e-mail to backcopies@globeandmail.com. Expect a turnaround of at least two business days.

Please note that these articles are for your own reference and cannot be reprinted, posted or distributed without prior permission from The Globe and Mail.

Q. Can I buy a back issue of the print (newspaper) edition of The Globe and Mail?

A. You can purchase back issues of the newspaper that are up to eight weeks old by calling (416) 585-5273 or 1-800-387-5400, ext. 5273.

The cost is $2.00 for Monday to Friday issues and $3.50 for Saturday issues when copies are picked up in person.

Mailing cost for Monday to Friday Issues:

$9.50 within Ontario
$13.00 Canada, excluding Ontario
$13.00 continental U.S.
$13.00 worldwide outside U.S.

Mailing cost for Saturday issue:

$11.00 within Ontario
$14.50 Canada, excluding Ontario
$14.50 continental U.S.
$14.50 worldwide outside U.S.

You can also request Report on Business:

$ 5.00 For Pick-up
$12.50 Mailed within Ontario
$16.00 Mailed within Canada
$16.00 Continental U.S.
$16.00 Worldwide Outside U.S.

All mailing costs are in $CDN.

Q. How do I make a submission to the newspaper?

A. Send your submission to the section of the newspaper in which you wish your piece to appear.

Here are some general guidelines:

If you're sending your letter or article by e-mail, the contents must be sent in the body of the e-mail message as plain text only. Please do not use Microsoft Word format or rich text format (RTF), and please do not send the letter or article as an attachment.

Letters to the Editor: The editor of The Globe and Mail welcomes letters on any subject but reserves the right to condense and edit them. Brevity counts. All letters should be less than 200 words, and must include the name, mailing address and daytime phone number of the writer. The copyright becomes the property of The Globe and Mail if they are accepted for publication. You may also reach us by fax at 416-585-5085.

Comment submissions: Contributors whose work has been accepted for publication will be asked to sign a freelance agreement that explains the publication rights being purchased by the Globe and Mail. Articles submitted for use on the comment page should be about 700 words long, and must include the name, mailing address and daytime phone number of the writer. You may also reach us by fax at (416) 585-5085. Writers will be contacted within two weeks if their pieces are accepted for publication. Writers who have not been contacted within that period, or within a shorter period they have stipulated at the top of their submissions, should assume their work will not be published.

Facts & Arguments Essays: See the full submission guidelines (click here).

Lives Lived: See the full submission guidelines (click here).