Preventing Image Theft (by Andrea Feustel at Copytrack)
Here are the simplest to the most complex methods for image protection.
Name the copyright owner
The attribution can be placed either on your own website or under each individual publication of your images or other visual content. Try to keep it short and to include the licensing notice. A visible warning should also accompany this information. This warning might inform or deter those users who are not aware of copyright or who are not conscious about the fact that not everything is for free on the internet.
Attribute Rightsholder and Source
Add a small caption including a copyright notice with information of the rightsholder and the website. You can even attach a link to the image, and when the file is copied, your website traffic increases.
Upload Images in Parts
Another way to protect yourself from images theft is to upload your photos in parts, and then to piece them back together online. With this method only small chunks of data can be abstracted and are hard to be piece back together. This will quickly tire out anyone trying to piece the puzzle together. To dissemble the image can take a lot of time, though software is also available.
Block Right Clicks
With just a few lines of JavaScript you can prevent the use of the right click of the mouse, which hinders copying and downloading of your data. This is not for everyone though. The first reason being it creates the danger that by restricting the user-friendliness of your site you tarnish the trust of honest visitors. It is also key to note that when you block the right click you disable all its functions. Another issue is the barrier can be easily deactivated and bypassed by using JavaScript. Last but not least, the Drag and Drop and screenshots of the image are still possible.
Preventing Image Theft
There is no perfect method to protect image from online image theft. Photographers and image rightsholders need to invest a lot of time into the protection of their images. It is not by chance that the question about professional search and regulation of unauthorised image is increasing.
Dandi Law Firm provides legal assistance in Copyright. Check out our Services or contact Us!
