Image Theft -- They're Working on it...

[Deb]

Seems someone has begun to 'figure it out' ... new software is getting ready to be released that will be the beginning of preventing visitors from downloading images from your web site... check it out http://www.csafe.com/1999/products/pixsafe/index.html

[Justin]

I don't like this at all - basically, I (as an end user) visit a web site, and I must authorize a plugin to be downloaded that keeps me from being able to save/print/screenshot the images - I guarantee someone using this on their site would lose a lot of visitors. I rarely download plugins - I figure if a site can't use what's already there (or Shockwave, that one's cool) then I'm not downloading special junk to view their site.

But it's worse when it's special junk that prevents me from stealing their images. I don't steal images, but I also think some people are extremely paranoid... and I'm not installing 3rd party software (which is what happens when you allow an ActiveX plugin to install automatically) to support someone's paranoia...

Besides that, I never download ActiveX controls for a web site - any person with a copy of VB or VC++ can write an ActiveX control and can pretty much do what they want to the Registry, hard drive, etc - it's basically an EXE with a different name (OCX). It's just not a safe practice... and OCX's can be infected with a virus just as easily as an EXE.

Sorry for being so critical - I enjoy picking things apart hehe - and I just woke up :)[nbsp][nbsp]But I feel this falls under the Big Brother thing - "You can't see my images unless you download my babysitter that won't let you steal them", and my reply: "Well forget you, I don't want to see your stupid images then!"

Besides that, I would like someone to install this so I can write a clone ActiveX that will bypass the protection totally - I've upset more than one programmer with "anti-crack" controls by proving them ineffective :)

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Let me add something to this - I'm not knocking the idea that images be protected, but doing it with client side software is not the way to go here. What we need is two things: more education, as a lot of people don't realize that this is theft; and stricter laws about image theft (copyright theft in general).

Education should be on both ends as well - site owners NEED to put a © on their site, along with a note that users may not steal the images and place them on their Geocities home pages.

And of course end users need to be aware that it is illegal and bad 'netiquitte (sp? is that even an official word?). I almost see another Host Facts article coming... :)

Ok, that's all for now hehe - need coffee!!

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support
[This message has been edited by Justin (edited 05-12-99)]

[Deb]

Couldn't agree more.... there are many reasons this proggy will be 'not so nice' ... as it requires something from all aspects... the site owner, the visitor, and the servers... but I was tickled to see SOMETHING show up... as it means they have made progress with the whole thing :)

Deb

[Del]

There's also Perl scripts available, which don't require any plugins or anything. For example, ProtectImage http://www.zebra.net/~irni/ This thing says it throws an oddbal content-type header in and Nutscape can't even download/save the image. The author is looking for any/all assistance in disabling saving in M$IE as well (for you hacker Exploder fans :) )

Del

[Charles Capps]

Oh pfffffff...[nbsp][nbsp]That is what screenshots are for.

Those who are determined to steal your images will do so.
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"Okay, so I'm not "SANE" so to speak, but uh... I'm the lovable kind of psycho"
http://solareclipse.net/

[cnk]

Hi,

[nbsp][nbsp]Well, I registered in this community only to post this message in the hopes that it might help fund a project that I've been watching and hoping to see released in the near future.

[nbsp][nbsp]I've searched the web for several methods to protect my images and found several programs, such as perl scripts to disable right clicks, disabling the caching, loading the browser window without the view source, and including the http://www.csafe.com program mentioned above; however, I have to agree I think the plug-in/activex program method may scare off alot of people, considering how many people are afraid of a little thing called a cookie :)

[nbsp][nbsp]Well, enough of the blah, blah stuff.[nbsp][nbsp]The program I've been waiting to view is called CopySafe and can be found at the following address: http://www.artistscope.net

[nbsp][nbsp]It is currently (as of this posting) not available; however, the support team has notified me that the program should release around Sept. 2000.[nbsp][nbsp]It looks as if this program will be using Java to protect the images, which concerns me; however, I feel more people will continue to allow Java applets to run on their computer then those who are willing to load third party apps.[nbsp][nbsp]Not to meantion all those who do not have access to the root server to load CleaverContent; it appears CopySafe does not require server access, which is a plus for several websites.

[nbsp][nbsp]Any way...this looks promising...hope it helps.

[nbsp][nbsp]Best to you and yours,
[nbsp][nbsp]Chad

[Jeff]

Oh pfffffff...[nbsp][nbsp]That is what screenshots are for.
A few months ago I noticed that you could no longer do this on Microsoft's Terraserver site.[nbsp][nbsp]They used a plugin from http://www.alchemedia.com/ for some of their satellite images which prevents copying, saving, printing, and screen capturing (when you capture, instead of the image the screen, you get only a pattern or logo...

(a plugin which looks pretty similar is at http://www.vyou.com/ though I didn't bother installing this one.[nbsp][nbsp]As has been said, I would normally not have installed the alchemedia plugin either to view a small site, but the satellite images offered enough content to push me over the edge.)

[Bartoni]

All this talk of protecting images seems completely stupid! You'll always be able to grab a screen shot. There's countless screen grabbers around. There's no way the contents of some web page (even if it contains active x or whatever) can prevent me from opening paint shop pro and doing a full screen capture.

Bartoni


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http://www.screensaverfactory.com[nbsp][nbsp]- make your own custom screen saver, instantly

[Jeff]

Bartoni, are you able to capture a screenshot of the plugin-protected image at http://www.alchemedia.com/ ?

(It renders the printscreen button either useless (IE) or puts junk on the clipboard (NS); Corel's capture prog just gets a nifty logo pattern where the protected image would be, I haven't tried others yet...

[wolfstalks]

It protects the image in PrintKey as well, BUT it wouldn't install the plugin in NS 4.75, so that meant no matter how hard I tried I couldn't view the images in that venue, and personally If I was looking for something I would be Gone and looking elsewhere.[nbsp][nbsp]It did instal in MS 5.50, and I tried to use PrintKey to copy and it turned the image into a field of " * " so at for that it worked, but how long before someone comes along and figures out a screen capture that will work.[nbsp][nbsp]I am sorry but the best way to protect images in still education.[nbsp][nbsp]This method falls short by preventing some from viewing the images at all, and everyone else must download a plugin!

Sorry, BUT IMHO[nbsp][nbsp]"BAD IDEA"
Bob

[sheila]

Yes, I wanted to rise to the "challenge" of trying to get a screen capture of these images. I'm running NS 4.61. But I could figure out how to get the darn stuff installed. I clicked on the "install" link, but nothing happened and I couldn't see the pictures, either.

I must agree with wolfstalks. He put it very well.

[Justin]

Well, I went to the site, downloaded the ActiveX (something I would *not* have done just to view images on a site, except that I wanted to see what this thing was about). I did a screen capture. Interestingly enough, I was only able to capture the left monitor... it is not multiple-monitor aware. When the browser was on the left (primary) screen, I could get a shot, minus the one image.

I suspect the ActiveX control listens for a screen capture and simply replaces the image. However, there are utilities that will give you basically a dump of what's in the video memory, and you cannot get around that. Any program that does that (and does not use the clipboard, which is something an ActiveX can modify), I think you could get around it.

Either way, I wouldn't remain at a site that wanted me to install an ActiveX security guard in order to view their images. We can't get around having to walk through metal detectors/sensor-matics and carry alarm devices to the check-out in stores, but we certainly can choose not to view web sites that require a baby-sitter...

Sorry, I just think the whole idea is out of proportion. So a year and a half later, my opinion still hasn't changed on this (I just now re-read my post from May '99 above ;) )

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest (http://www.FutureQuest.net/index.php) Support

[wolfstalks]

I guess it's the kid in me but when someone tells me that I can't do something, Well, I guess I just gotta do it[nbsp][nbsp]:P

If all else fails just grab a screen shot the old fasioned way:
http://www.jaxfountain.com/example.jpg
(Note for the cops, this was done just for example purposes and is not intended to for any other use other than demonstration purposes)

Have a Good One
Bob