How can I prevent select-copy action?

avyaban · March 27, 2011, 09:27:05 AM

Hi everyone;

How can I prevent select-copy action of the text and images from the topics by the visitors in my forum ?

My version SMF 2.0 RC3

Thanks in advance..

Arantor · March 27, 2011, 09:33:26 AM

Long story short: you can't. There's no method you can use that's actually reliable and that can't be disabled in a matter of clicks on any modern/capable browser - and even then, most of the time it won't solve anything.

avyaban · March 27, 2011, 09:36:34 AM

Isn't there any way ?

Quote from: Arantor on March 27, 2011, 09:33:26 AM
Long story short: you can't. There's no method you can use that's actually reliable and that can't be disabled in a matter of clicks on any modern/capable browser - and even then, most of the time it won't solve anything.

Spale · March 27, 2011, 09:40:44 AM

Try to disable Copy and Paste using this JavaScript :

Code Select

<!-- Disable Copy and Paste-->
<script language='JavaScript1.2'>
function disableselect(e){
return false
}
function reEnable(){
return true
}
document.onselectstart=new Function (&quot;return false&quot;)
if (window.sidebar){
document.onmousedown=disableselect
document.onclick=reEnable
}
</script>

Insert the code between the <head> and </head> tag of your forum.

Arantor · March 27, 2011, 09:42:42 AM

-sigh-

Yes, there are methods that prevent select/copy. Except that none of them are remotely reliable and can be defeated in a matter of seconds in most browsers without any real work at all, and that it's likely to break other things if you do attempt to use such methods.

@Spale: Which is great until a user doesn't use Javascript, uses a browser that doesn't like that syntax (the code is invalid Javascript, by the way), or that the user is smart enough to just view the source anyway to get the content they want. I'd note that search engines and page scrapers aren't affected either.

Oh, and users like me who open things in new tabs are also inconvenienced.

HunterP · March 27, 2011, 09:53:17 AM

Quote from: avyaban on March 27, 2011, 09:36:34 AM
Isn't there any way ?

Yes there are ways, but if someone is determined to copy something, he will succeed because there are allways ways to by-pass all those kind of protections, like a print-screen, viewing the page source of plugings which can show only the source of selected objects like images.

I understand your concerns, but IMHO you shouldn't put too much effort in this issue.

Spale · March 27, 2011, 09:58:48 AM

Quote from: HunterP on March 27, 2011, 09:53:17 AM
But if someone is determined to copy something, he will succeed because there are allways ways to by-pass all those kind of protections, like a print-screen, viewing the page source of plugings which can show only the source of selected objects like images.

I completely agree with above... You cannot stop somebody to copy your content, if he is determined to do so.
There is always a way to bypass all protections.

avyaban · March 27, 2011, 10:23:18 AM

Thank you very much..

Which file (php or something) will I insert this code into ?

Quote from: Spale on March 27, 2011, 09:40:44 AM
Try to disable Copy and Paste using this JavaScript :

Code Select Expand
 <script language='JavaScript1.2'> function disableselect(e){ return false } function reEnable(){ return true } document.onselectstart=new Function ("return false") if (window.sidebar){ document.onmousedown=disableselect document.onclick=reEnable } </script>

Insert the code between the <head> and </head> tag of your forum.

Arantor · March 27, 2011, 10:24:28 AM

Well, it would be your theme's index.template.php but I wouldn't bother since it'll break anything that uses Javascript on your page, which includes certain things SMF does out of the box like the quick edit, quick quote and a few other things.

Roph · March 27, 2011, 02:24:21 PM

If you don't want people to be able to copy things from your site, there is only one solution to completely prevent it: Don't put that stuff on your site.

To put it another way: If you don't want them to take it, don't give it to them!

Spale · March 27, 2011, 02:31:35 PM

One more solution could be to put a protection banner to your forum: http://copyscape.com/banners.php?o=f

You can try to defend your site with a plagiarism warning banner to warn potential plagiarists against stealing your content.

You can use this add-on to add the banner to your forum: Global Headers and Footers

News:

How can I prevent select-copy action?