protecting copyright images in firefox

[scully]

hi all
I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:
<script language=javascript>
<!-- Begin
function right(e) {
var msg = "Right clicking has been disabled on this website to protect
copyright of the displayed images.";
if (navigator.appName == 'Netscape' && e.which == 3) {
alert(msg);
return false;
}
else
if (navigator.appName == 'Microsoft Internet Explorer' &&
event.button==2) {
alert(msg);
return false;
}
return true;
}
document.onmousedown = right;
// End -->
-->
</script>
I notice the script is a little different for explorer and netscape
what would i use for the browsers firefox & opera
thanks
scul

 

[Rob_W]

hi all
I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:
<script language=javascript>
<!-- Begin
[snipped]

-->
</script>
I notice the script is a little different for explorer and netscape
what would i use for the browsers firefox & opera
thanks
scul

Don't you know that this doesn't work?
If you want to protect your images, don't publish them on the internet.

RW

 

[David Dorward]

I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:

No you don't. Scripts which attempt to block the right click are:

(a) Annoying (there are plenty of things on the context menu other then
"Save Image As")
(b) Useless (they are *very* easy to work around)

If you want to enforce your copyright, then employ a lawyer. Technological
solutions will not work.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?G=E9rard_Talbot?=]

scully wrote :

hi all
I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:

You're most likely annoying all your visitors but definitely not
preventing them from stealing images.

Alt.html FAQ: How do I disable the mouse right-click?
http://www.html-faq.com/scriptingbasics/?disablerightclick

<script language=javascript>
<!-- Begin
function right(e) {
var msg = "Right clicking has been disabled on this website to protect
copyright of the displayed images.";
if (navigator.appName == 'Netscape' && e.which == 3) {
alert(msg);

argh... and it's bad script on top of all that.

return false;

Scul,
1- edit a copyright statement,
2- then put a link to it in your page footer of all your pages,
3- then remove all of your right-click-disableing stuff
this is the best and most suitable way to deal with the issue. I would
tell you exactly the same thing if you were having a privacy problem or
an accessibility policy.

If you really do not want someone to steal your images, then do *not*
upload them anywhere on your website.

Gérard

 

[carolyn]

hi all
I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:
I notice the script is a little different for explorer and netscape
what would i use for the browsers firefox & opera
thanks
scul

Scul,

Just to be repetitious, if you don't want it stolen, don't put it on the
net. The scripts may make it more difficult, but the don't make it
impossible.

If I want a photo from the net, first I read the copyright statement. If it
is 'ok' to copy, but I can't right click, then I can either simply flip
into the html source, find the url for the photo, and load it directly,
bypassing the web page and any scripts in it. Alternatively, I can just do
a screen grab, load the resultant image into a graphic editor and crop out
the parts I don't want.

But if you insist on writing scripts, better include a script for konqueror
while you are at it, Galleon might also be an idea. I am sure there are a
few more browsers out there that may need their own custom scripts built
for them.

Long and the short of it is, to stop me from 'stealing' your photos, tell me
not to. None of the scripts you write, will stop me - only your request
not to will.

Carolyn

 

[Roy Schestowitz]

__/ [carolyn] on Sunday 01 January 2006 04:54 \__

Scul,

Just to be repetitious, if you don't want it stolen, don't put it on the
net. The scripts may make it more difficult, but the don't make it
impossible.

This can definitely reduce the amount of stealing nonetheless. It deters the
mediocre user from stealing.

If I want a photo from the net, first I read the copyright statement. If
it is 'ok' to copy, but I can't right click, then I can either simply flip
into the html source, find the url for the photo, and load it directly,
bypassing the web page and any scripts in it. Alternatively, I can just do
a screen grab, load the resultant image into a graphic editor and crop out
the parts I don't want.

It's even simpler with platforms that are not Windows.

But if you insist on writing scripts, better include a script for konqueror
while you are at it, Galleon might also be an idea. I am sure there are a
few more browsers out there that may need their own custom scripts built
for them.

Several browser will not obey this functionality either. They should not if
they remain user-centric.

Long and the short of it is, to stop me from 'stealing' your photos, tell
me
not to. None of the scripts you write, will stop me - only your request
not to will.

Carolyn

Hypothetically: Consider watermarking the image. Then, if you have the
computer resources of the large search engines, crawl the entire World Wide
Web, download all the images and then apply pattern recognition algorithms
to identify your watermark in the images.

Roy

 

[Greg N.]

Roy Schestowitz wrote:

This can definitely reduce the amount of stealing nonetheless. It deters the
mediocre user from stealing.

Well, do you worry about some dumb hillbilly downloading your precious
pix to his harddisk and then forget about it?

Or do you worry about web designers using your pix on their own pages
without your permission?

I think the first category is not worth worrying about, while the second
is not what you call "mediocre user". You will not stop them.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

Well, do you worry about some dumb hillbilly downloading your precious
pix to his harddisk and then forget about it?

The dumb hillbilly - and anyone else who has visited the page - already
has the pix on his harddisk, in the cache.

These no-right-click scripts are dumber than the hillbillies.

 

[Rob McAninch]

David Dorward>:

scully wrote:

I have a tag that i use to stop users stealing images from a sight
that uses java script tag as per following:

No you don't. Scripts which attempt to block the right click are
[annoying and useless]

I encountered one of these scripts the other day. When I was viewing
a photographer's gallery. I wanted to open a full size image (from a
thumbnail link) in a new tab. Thus spending more time viewing the
photographer's work.

Firefox showed the JS copyright pop up right beside my context menu
that let me do what I wanted. It just made the site look amateurish
(and it was a 'professionally' commissioned site).

Annoying your visitors is the surest way to lose them, and their
money. The visitors that want to steal the images are not there to
buy them or hire you anyhow.

That said, you can consider watermarking the images. Something like:
http://www.digimarc.com/ You can also stamp your copyright mark on
the face of the image as visibly as you care to. With a JPEG you
could consider leaving a copyright comment in the EXIF fields --
that's easily removable of course.

As someone else pointed out, hire a lawyer and check into your
country's copyright laws. Where you need to register and so forth.
If you put it on the web anyone can take it and do what they want,
they may not have the legal right to do so, but it is up to you to
enforce your legal rights to your work.

 

[Rob McAninch]

Roy Schestowitz>:

__/ [carolyn] on Sunday 01 January 2006 04:54 \__

Just to be repetitious, if you don't want it stolen, don't put it on the
net. The scripts may make it more difficult, but the don't make it
impossible.

This can definitely reduce the amount of stealing nonetheless. It deters the
mediocre user from stealing.

The user it deters is most likely not doing any damage. Perhaps
wanting to email the image to a friend or use it as wallpaper (which
is still not legal unless you grant those rights). And then there's
the users that it challenges. Those are the users that are somewhat
more damaging, as they may try defacing the website as well or just
be annoying.

 

[carolyn]

Roy Schestowitz>:

__/ [carolyn] on Sunday 01 January 2006 04:54 \__

Just to be repetitious, if you don't want it stolen, don't put it on the
net. The scripts may make it more difficult, but the don't make it
impossible.

This can definitely reduce the amount of stealing nonetheless. It deters
the mediocre user from stealing.

The user it deters is most likely not doing any damage. Perhaps
wanting to email the image to a friend or use it as wallpaper (which
is still not legal unless you grant those rights). And then there's
the users that it challenges. Those are the users that are somewhat
more damaging, as they may try defacing the website as well or just
be annoying.

Then there is also those users who want to copy it for educational or
research purposes. Both of which are legal by Canadian copyright law.
There could be a question of jurisdiction, if I sit at my computer in
Canada and copy a photo, block of text, or whatever, (for educational
purposes) from a website in the States, is my action in Canada and therefor
legal, or is it in the states and therefor subject to American law?

Anyways, you are correct - the users that can be deterred by scripts are
probably not the ones to be concerned about.

Carolyn

 

[Roy Schestowitz]

__/ [carolyn] on Monday 02 January 2006 22:10 \__

Roy Schestowitz>:

__/ [carolyn] on Sunday 01 January 2006 04:54 \__

Just to be repetitious, if you don't want it stolen, don't put it on the
net. The scripts may make it more difficult, but the don't make it
impossible.

This can definitely reduce the amount of stealing nonetheless. It deters
the mediocre user from stealing.

The user it deters is most likely not doing any damage. Perhaps
wanting to email the image to a friend or use it as wallpaper (which
is still not legal unless you grant those rights). And then there's
the users that it challenges. Those are the users that are somewhat
more damaging, as they may try defacing the website as well or just
be annoying.

Then there is also those users who want to copy it for educational or
research purposes. Both of which are legal by Canadian copyright law.
There could be a question of jurisdiction, if I sit at my computer in
Canada and copy a photo, block of text, or whatever, (for educational
purposes) from a website in the States, is my action in Canada and therefor
legal, or is it in the states and therefor subject to American law?

Anyways, you are correct - the users that can be deterred by scripts are
probably not the ones to be concerned about.

Carolyn

Interesting point. Many people in research are assembling presentations
with graphics that have been nicked from the Web. At times, such presenta-
tions are made available on the World Wide Web in one form or another.

When I create presentations (using S5 or OO Presenter), I pay careful at-
tention to copyrights. If I borrow an image, I use stock exchanges that
have no restrictions or attribute the source in the actual slide. It's a
matter of common courtesy.

Roy