Web scripts to help prevent photo theft on your website...

Due to a recent post I made on the BOI in regards to photo theft and steps to help prevent it, I've had several ask me privately for the scripting I use to help protect photos on my websites as well as some of my clients. The scripts are attached as text files with this post.

Disable Right Click: This Javascript needs placed in the head tag of the page and will prevent users from right clicking on the page. You can customize the warning message to say whatever you like.

Search Engine Images Redirect: This tiny bit of Javascript will force Google Images to redirect to your domain if a photo is viewed. This will prevent most viewers from having the time to right click and save the image before being directed to your website, which should have Disable Right Click scripted in. This also needs placed in the head tag.



Keep in mind that the internet is ever changing and what works now may not work as browsers and programming evolves.

Also note that just as you are trying to protect your images others are constantly putting out add-ons and programs that disable the "disable right click" function that you install. I remember once I was trying to copy a couple of pictures that were being used on a site that was borrowed without permission. The person disabled right click but firefox was there with a handy add-on which took the pictures off anyway. All you can really do is make people work harder to get them. It will only deter some. Everything helps. Good information to have. Great post, Steph.

Actually, this can be beaten with any web browser as all one would need to do is select 'disable javascript' from their browser preferences. This isn't even including that a user could also take a screenshot of the page as well as the addons to simplify this that Dennis mentioned. Good to see you sharing this though, figured I would let others know that this isn't as useful a method as it once was.

Just watermark them, on the subject in the picture. That will be the only way to really protect yourself. There are MANY free ways to add watermarks to your images. They don't look good, but it's truly the only easy way to do it.

Now if you want to spend some time, you could use a flash image viewer on your website to present images to the users. I made one some time ago, but there are many free ones. And as stated earlier, people could still use a screen shot to still steal it.

Originally Posted by GraphiK

Actually, this can be beaten with any web browser as all one would need to do is select 'disable javascript' from their browser preferences. This isn't even including that a user could also take a screenshot of the page as well as the addons to simplify this that Dennis mentioned. Good to see you sharing this though, figured I would let others know that this isn't as useful a method as it once was.

Actually, I did state HELP PREVENT...Not GUARANTEED TO PREVENT...The general website user does not know what Javascript is let alone how to disable it. I imagine you didn't read the other thread where this was discussed (my fault for not linking it in this thread), but I did go over both of the work arounds for the script that you mention.