Preventing people from stealing pics.

[georgeafi]

I have a code on my pics page to dissable right clicking but when the mouse cursor is over the pics theres a small box that appears to the top right corner that still allows someone to copy the pic to their hard drive. Is there any way to keep that from happening?

[AdamBrill]

Well, everything that you might do will only slow somebody down, but you can do this to get rid of image toolbar:

<META HTTP-EQUIV="imagetoolbar" CONTENT="no">

However, I could still list a lot of different ways that someone could get the image. The only way to truely protect your images would be to put a watermark on them...

[georgeafi]

Awsome, thans man. I'll keep that info in mind.

[said_fox]

:(
There's no way to prevent what you call pics steal. Simply any one has frontpage or MS Word can open and edit any web page to take the pic he want.

or simply analysis of the html source to find pics url (if the source is not encoded).:(

[brendandonhue]

Put a little watermark on your pictures, and most of all COPYRIGHT THEM if they are that important.

[beroses]

Can you tell me a simple way to go about
watermarking an image - or direct me to a
tutorial on the subject.

[AdamBrill]

Do you have any image editing software? Just put the watermark over the image in whatever software you have...

[pyro]

And basically what a watermark is is this: it is a semitransparent bit of text that you overlay on part of your image. This way, if people steal your image and try to use it, people will at least know where it came from...

[beroses]

I do use photoshop - I have developed a
logo that I am using for now.

I guess what would be ideal is something I can do to
simplify this process.

Or even a digital watermark that is not visable but is
embedded in the image so that it could not be duplicated.

I am not so much concerned about people downloading the image I just do not them wanting them printing it out,

Of course I will want to keep the logo visible also.
But anyone with a bit of knowledge can crop this out and
doctor it up

:mad:
Any suggestions,

[pyro]

Yeah. Don't put it online... :rolleyes:

Seriously, that is about the only option you have to keep your image safe...

[beroses]

Ok You have given me a challange:rolleyes:

Where there is a will there is a way..

I don't know how other photographers do it -
but I am sure that there is a way.

I'll post back when I get it all figured out.

Thanks for the push

[pyro]

Ok, when you figure it out, let me know, and I'll show you how I can get you images. If you use the watermark, I won't go through the effort of removing it (unless it looks easy ;) )... But, other than that, what's going to stop me from just taking a screen shot?

[mabbutt]

They can stop you taking a screen shot from DVD's. I am not an expert in the difference but the logic must be the same.

As an example (if possible) try taking a screen shot from the DVD Fight Club.

[Jick]

The resin you cannot take a screen shot of a DVD is because with most current DVD playing softwares they make it so the video is not really there. Its just an illusion. If you take a screen shot of a DVD it will get the whole screen except the actual video. The video is just displayed on the screen and is not actually being imported to the OS. :)

[pyro]

I don't have the DVD Fight Club... Also, let me know if you think you find a way to stop me from getting your images... I don't.

[Nevermore]

Originally posted by brendandonhue
Put a little watermark on your pictures, and most of all COPYRIGHT THEM if they are that important.

Anything you make is copyrighted the moment you make it. However, to make a claim for damages from copyright theft you will need to register it as copyright of you.

Originally posted by beroses
Or even a digital watermark that is not visable but is
embedded in the image so that it could not be duplicated.

That isn't what digital watermarks do - they are invisible bits of unique data which allow you to search the internet and find out if your image has been stolen and put online.

[Gollum]

Don't put too much faith in digital watermarks as anyone with the most basic of image editors can destroy the watermark simply by stretching the image in one direction, or by applying simple filters.

[brendandonhue]

cijori-I know that your images are unregistered copywrites automatically. But people that are looking for backgrounds for their website aren't going to think of that. If its official and you can say Copywrite 2003 John Doe below your image, that can be a deterrent.

[AdamBrill]

If I'm not mistaken, you can put copyright (c) 2003 whoever under any image that you create even if it isn't officially copyrighted. And even if it isn't official, if you can prove that you created the image and they stole it, they can still get in big trouble...

[pyro]

I believe that is correct, as well:

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wccc
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#noc

[brendandonhue]

Ok, Im not up on copywrite law. I will have to remember that next time I'm doing a site with custom graphics. Do you think that sort of thing applies to scripts as well, if they are beyond the really obvious.

[AdamBrill]

Yes, you can copyright anything, not just images.

[pyro]

I am not a lawyer, but... :D

...it sure sounds like it:

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wwp

These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, computer programs and most "compilations" may be registered as "literary works";

[Nevermore]

Originally posted by Gollum
Don't put too much faith in digital watermarks as anyone with the most basic of image editors can destroy the watermark simply by stretching the image in one direction, or by applying simple filters.

You can digitally watermark images based on a particular method of compling the image, (some of) it's pixel values, it's checksum and the pattern of colour change/diffusion. It is also possible to insert a seldom-used color into several parts of the image, just as 1px squares. That way if the same colour is in those four places, relative to the size of the image and the other colours used, the image is likely to be yours. Filters and resizing won't change all of those at the same time - you would have to leave the image looking completely different.

[sbritton]

Try taking a look at www.corbis.com.

They sell high quality digital images and have a relatively secure method of dealing with image theft. They allow you to look at download crummy low quality/low resolution thumbnails all you want.

If you want the source images suitable for printing you have to be a member and pay them for each download.

If your images are things like vacation pictures or other images that you are not making a living by selling them, then who cares if anyone downloads them.

Copyrights and going after people who infringe on them is only worthwile if you can demonstrate that you have "damages" or have lost something because someone else is using them.

The best you can do is put a small logo or other identifier on the image like the bottom corner. If you find someone using the image and your logo has been cropped out, I would think it's pretty easy to show that you have the original since you have the complete image (with and without the logo) and they do not.

Hope that helps...

[Nevermore]

Here's a demo of the tactic of only letting people access low-quality images. http://www.evernet.co.uk/gifs/cyclopes.php
Log in and the images lose their watermarks and increase resolution.

BTW (Charles please take heed), I am not responsible for this part of the site, I know it's pretty dire. I don't even know why the images are there...

[kdoubles]

with pdf you can password protect in order do disallow printing, modifying, etc.....not sure if that is useful at all.

[Nevermore]

People could still print screen to get them.