"Easy Share" feature question

urbanaries · March 22, 2007

I am having trouble balancing:
1. protecting myself from image theft
2. making updates/sharing galleries in a convenient manner.

I have been advised to disable the "Share Photos" link for clients, because clients can use those links to steal pictures, as these links aren't right click protected. However, as the owner of these galleries, I wish there was a way that *I* could always see the Share photos link when logged in. It is quite cumbersome to keep changing the gallery settings every time I want to email a client their gallery, post a link to an image (like in my blog or on dgrin), or download (via right click) the original image to make edits if I'm working remotely.

Or since I'm starting to watermark everything now, is that considered best practice for theft deterrent as opposed to disabling the "share photos" link?

denisegoldberg · March 22, 2007

I have the share button enabled when I am logged in and disabled otherwise.

I have this in my CSS:

/* enable share button only when logged in */
    .share_button     {
        display: none;
}
    .loggedIn .share_button     {
        display: block;
}

Stormdancing · March 22, 2007

Thanks for this little tidbit. I added it to my gallery and it works like a charm.

clap

mrcoons · March 23, 2007

denisegoldberg wrote:
I have the share button enabled when I am logged in and disabled otherwise.

I have this in my CSS:
/* enable share button only when logged in */
    .share_button     {
        display: none;
}
    .loggedIn .share_button     {
        display: block;
} 

Is there a specific place in the CSS this needs to be submitted? I put it in mine but it does not seem to work.

ivar · March 23, 2007

mrcoons wrote:

Is there a specific place in the CSS this needs to be submitted? I put it in mine but it does not seem to work.

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=513032#post513032

mrcoons · March 23, 2007

Update:

OK, I admit it - I'm dense. I guess I don't understand what I thought was being discussed here.

I logged out and went back to this same gallery Ivar but it still shows the share button that I thought we were 'hiding'. Here is a screenshot:

So what am I missing Ivar?

ivar · March 23, 2007

denisegoldberg wrote:
I have the share button enabled when I am logged in and disabled otherwise.

I have this in my CSS:
/* enable share button only when logged in */
    .share_button     {
        display: none;
}
    .loggedIn .share_button     {
        display: block;
} 

NOTE: This removes the button when you are logged out, and shows the button when you are logged in, which makes it more difficult for others to find the direct link to a photo. HOWEVER, the direct link still exists, and works. If you know how, you can link that photo anyway.

I believe the best thing to do is still to disable the Original sized images, and use watermarks.

If you want to allow external linking is up to you. You can say "no, I don't want my photos out there", and select external linking to 'no'. Another way of thinking could be "Yes, I will allow people to link to my photos, but I'm going to make sure I watermark them with my website". It's up to you really. But note that selecting 'no' to external linking in your gallery settings is the only way to make sure that your non-passworded galleries are protected from linking.

denisegoldberg · March 23, 2007

ivar wrote:

...HOWEVER, the direct link still exists, and works. If you know how, you can link that photo anyway.

I'm glad you said this - sometimes I assume that everyone understands that if sharing is enabled that people can get to your photos...

I really had a battle with myself (quite a while back) when I realized that as long as the photos were set to enable sharing that people could figure out how to link to my photos, and that they could essentially then steal copies of the photos. I have right click save disabled, but that only works within the context of the smugmug screens. I like to show photos in my blog entries, so I have share photos enabled. My originals aren't enabled, but yes, people can steal the images that are available. I'd like to think that doesn't happen, but I know better.

But note that selecting 'no' to external linking in your gallery settings is the only way to make sure that your non-passworded galleries are protected from linking.

There still isn't anything to protect you from viewers using screen-capture tools. For those of us who want to share our photos, I believe there will always be some level of this type of "danger".

Adding a copyright helps - but copyrights along the edge can be easily removed by cropping. Copyrights across the image protect your image, but they can also discourage viewers. There are wonderful photographers who have galleries that I won't even look at because to me the copyright watermark ruins the picture (as in I can't see around it...).

--- Denise

mrcoons · March 23, 2007

ivar wrote:

NOTE: This removes the button when you are logged out, and shows the button when you are logged in, which makes it more difficult for others to find the direct link to a photo. HOWEVER, the direct link still exists, and works. If you know how, you can link that photo anyway.

I believe the best thing to do is still to disable the Original sized images, and use watermarks.

If you want to allow external linking is up to you. You can say "no, I don't want my photos out there", and select external linking to 'no'. Another way of thinking could be "Yes, I will allow people to link to my photos, but I'm going to make sure I watermark them with my website". It's up to you really. But note that selecting 'no' to external linking in your gallery settings is the only way to make sure that your non-passworded galleries are protected from linking.

Well that is what I expected to see was that the share button would be visible for me when I was logged in but not there for those that are not logged in (which is 97% of my visitors).

But note that selecting 'no' to external linking in your gallery settings is the only way to make sure that your non-passworded galleries are protected from linking.

Bummer, so we are right back to urbanaries original problem.

"Easy Share" feature question

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