Prevent rightclicking on image?

[thoff]

Hello everybody

I'm creating a site for a customer of mine where a part of the site is a database generated news service. When showing the pictures in the news service it is required that the user will not have the possability for right-clicking in order to download.

Is there a script / function for doing this?

Tore 🙂

[planetsim]

No PHP Function no. Also there isnt much point in doing so, as the only way is Javascript and that can be easily turned off also the user could just use the absolute path to the file.

[MarkR]

There are a number of tricks to try to prevent image theft, with varying degrees of effectiveness.

1. Disable right-click - very easy, but highly ineffective, as they can just disable Javascript or use another method of picking the image

2. Leave right-click enabled, but ensure that they can't save the image out - the normal technique is to place another (different) image over the original one on the page, so that RMB->save as, saves out the top image (usually transparent) instead.

Unfortunately neither of these deals with cache plundering, where the user can simply open their browser's cache and swipe the images from there.

3. Image splitting / obfuscating. Create several images, which are stuck together by the browser to create the final image. Ideally, set them up so that they have holes and/or blemishes in, to make the raw images effectively useless. This makes it more difficult for the user to plunder the images (usefully) from the cache, and also stops RMB "Save as".

3a. Create a large image containing rubbish around the true image, and have the browser clip it to the desired area.

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Unfortunately none of these defeats screen grabbers. Defeating screen grabbers is difficult, and probably not worthwhile trying.

Mark

[Kudose]

I would tell the client that it is NOT possible to prevent image theft, but you can provide protection against the 'average' user.

To do so, go with a JS right click disable as MarkR suggested.

An alternative would be watermarking. most people that want to reuse an image won't save a watermarked image.