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Is there a way to prevent copying text?

  1. barbarah
    Member

    I know some sites have a way to prevent someone from copying text from the site, and I know there are ways around it, but I do think it would be a deterrent to some. Can you tell me how to do this? I searched online, but everything I saw involved javascript, which WordPress doesn't allow. Does WordPress support any kind of "no right click" code?

    I wouldn't do this for every post, but I am thinking of posting an original poem, and I don't want it copied and pasted who knows where.

    Thanks.

    The blog I need help with is barbarah.wordpress.com.

  2. devblog
    Member

    No there isn't.

    What you could do is to write your poem, make a screenshot and post that image instead.

  3. thesacredpath
    Member

    I can take an image though and run it through OCR (optical character recognition) and in most cases pull the content right out of it.

  4. timethief
    Member

    I believe that the Duotone and Monotone themes do have right click disabled. But I could be wrong it could be just one of them that does and not the other. However, I'm here to tell you here's a false sense of security created by relying on disabling right click. I can easily get around that and so can zillions of others. I think you ought to do what devloblog suggests. Make an image, watermark it and use on of the services like creative commons, myfreecopyright or creators copyright).
    There are free watermarking tool links in this post > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2007/10/19/watermark-your-blog-images/
    See also > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2008/10/07/how-to-copyright-your-digital-works/

  5. timethief
    Member

    @TSP
    lol ... :D

  6. devblog
    Member

    I can take an image though and run it through OCR (optical character recognition) and in most cases pull the content right out of it.

    True, but the image adds a level of inconvenience. If someone doesn't have an OCR, I really doubt that the person would google where to get one install it and run the image through it... and even if he or she did, is just too much. At least, I wouldn't do it.

    Also, running an image through and OCR is more laborious than just disabling javascript and copy the text.

  7. thesacredpath
    Member

    All true, but it can be done. Anyone that has the full version of Adobe Acrobat (CS4 version anyway) has it built in. I use it quite often for a client/author who scans stuff he did years ago on a typewriter and sends them to me either as an image file or as a PDF.

  8. timethief
    Member

    @TSP
    check your email please

  9. thesacredpath
    Member

    TT, I got one earlier today and sent you a response.

  10. devblog
    Member

    CS4 has that, nice. I only have CS3.

    Of course, I'm not saying it can't be done. As inconvenient as it may be, if their determination is so strong, they could even read the image and type the text themselves.

    Again, I think the real goal here for the OP, or other authors, is to make it as inconvenient as possible for others to copy their text (or images). As fallible as it is, I believe an image is just a couple of "inconvenient" steps added to the process.

    Finally, like I've always said, the best way to avoid your content to be copied (images or text) is just to not upload them at all.

  11. barbarah
    Member

    Thanks, all. I knew there wasn't a foolproof way to do it, but even the slightest barrier would prevent the average passer-by from copying.

  12. timethief
    Member

    Then you know what to do. Don't rely on disable right click as it's ineffectual. Display your poems as watermarked images and use one of the digital copyrighting options available, knowing that theft will occur and you will have to be prepared to deal with it when it does occur. See > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2008/05/10/splog-off-dealing-with-content-theft/

  13. taletellerin
    Member

    Interesting question! I was wondering about this myself. I figured the image but didn't know about the watermark tools. Great.

    And with the watermark it should also be safe from Adobe Acrobat. I use it quiet a lot for my phd and it does get fussy when the script isn't clear.

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