# Best Online Photo Album Website with Protection



## binar01011 (Sep 7, 2013)

Fellow Forum Members,
I realize once photos are posted online they are easy to copy by using the Print Screen button or the right mouse click save picture as option.  However, I want to at least make it a little harder for people that want to copy my online photos.  Currently using Picasa and this option offers no type of security at all. I'm looking for something better. 

I would really like to hear from some knowledgable fellow forum members on this matter.  Mainly, I have the following questions:

What is the best free or pay photo sharing website that blocks PRINT SCREEN button, Right Mouse Click Save Picture As button?

My research tells me that putting your photos within a FLASH movie offers some degree of protection.  Can anyone out there recommend the best website to upload some FLASH photo movies for sharing?  Does a YouTube style website exist for only FLASH movies? 

I have also learned that tiling photos or adding an invisible layer in the forground of the photo also helps.  Does anyone out there have an opinion on the best way to go about doing this?   

Overall, I would really appreciate any info that relates to what is the best free or pay website for sharing photos online but with some degree of protection already included.  Thanks in advance.


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## Salio (Sep 7, 2013)

Try Smugmug... Im using the TRIAL Version.. so far soo good.. You have total Control


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## binar01011 (Sep 7, 2013)

Salio said:


> Try Smugmug... Im using the TRIAL Version.. so far soo good.. You have total Control



Salio,
Thanks for pointing me to Smugmug.  The POWER option they offer seems to have the "Enable right-click protection on your images" option I am looking for in an online photo album sharing website.  However, it costs like $60 a year. 

Before I go with the pay option I would like to ask anyone out there is it possible to get an "Enable right-click protection on your images" option on a free online photo album website?  I have not been able to find one.  My hope is someone out there might know of one.  Thanks in advance.


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## KmH (Sep 7, 2013)

$60 a year is only $5 a month.

There is no location in your profile,
but 2 less lattes a month
skip 3 energy drinks a month
 skip 1 fast food meal a month
or drive 30 fewer miles a month
 will pay the $60 a year for SmugMug.

If you value your images enough to be considering putting them online - $60 a year is very cheap.


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## Buckster (Sep 7, 2013)

No matter what kind of "protection" you use, if it can be seen on someone's screen, it can be copied in 2 seconds.  Period.


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## Joeywhat (Sep 7, 2013)

Buckster said:


> No matter what kind of "protection" you use, if it can be seen on someone's screen, it can be copied in 2 seconds.  Period.



This. Right click protection is useful as a more direct reminder to people that you would prefer them to not save your pictures you have posted, however the print screen function will still be able to copy the image from ANY website.


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## SCraig (Sep 7, 2013)

Joeywhat said:


> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> > No matter what kind of "protection" you use, if it can be seen on someone's screen, it can be copied in 2 seconds.  Period.
> ...


Right-click protection ONLY works when people allow it to in their browser.  Firefox has options to prevent Javascript from disabling mouse buttons and from changing menu contents.  The web sites can try all they want to block things in people's browsers but if the people do not allow Javascript to make the changes then it is meaningless.

If you don't want people to get it then don't put it online.  It truly is that simple.


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## binar01011 (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks to all for their post. I expected to get some postings pointing out that the best protection to not getting your photos stolen is simply not to upload them to a photo sharing website in the first place. 

However, my goal is just to make it harder. 

From what I have learned disabling the PRINT SCREEN button or the RIGHT CLICK button requires JAVA. Is anyone out there using Java to disable the two functions I just mentioned? Also, since JAVA is an optional install, am I correct to say that a computer without JAVA installed means the PRINT SCREEN button or the RIGHT CLICK button will still work anyways?

In closing, is anyone out there sharing photos using a FLASH slide show? If yes, I would llove to hear from you in this post. Can a FLASH slide show have the PRINT SCREEN button or the RIGHT CLICK button disabled using some special ActionScript code embedded in the FLASH slide show? 

What is the best website to upload a Photo Album setup in FLASH? Can YouTube handle FLASH Photo slideshows? Any opinions welcomed. Thanks in advance.



Just making an EDIT to share with everyone an update.  Through Googling I learned that it is possible to disable the PRINT SCREEN button and the RIGHT CLICK button within a FLASH Photo slideshow. Below is a link that explains how:

http://www.ehow.com/how_7364728_disable-print-screen-flash.html

All I have to figure out now is what is the best website to upload  Flash Photo slideshow?  Can YouTube handle a Flash Photo slideshow with such ActionScript?  I also have to figure out how use Adobe Flash to create a Photo Slideshow. Any tips will be greatly welcomed.  Thanks in advance.


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## Buckster (Sep 7, 2013)

You're not getting the gist of it.  

There is nothing that makes it "harder" to copy your photos.  Nothing.  Flash won't work, Java on or off doesn't do it - nothing works.  If I can see it on my screen, no matter how it's done, I can have a copy of it in two seconds.  Literally, two seconds.  And I'm not even some kind of hacker/photo-thief with some kind of special ability or software or anything.

Trying to put all kinds of things in play to try to stop someone from copying what they see on the screen is just more work for you, possibly involves payment, and has ZERO benefit.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news on that issue, but that's the honest truth of it.


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## ShaneF (Sep 7, 2013)

The only real thing you can do is not post them, other then that post lesser quality copies of them so if someone does wish to take it there is little they can do with it.


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## Joeywhat (Sep 7, 2013)

The issue with "disabling" anything is that it only works on the web page itself. So for print screen, for instance, all you really have to do is select something out of your page, and the print screen function will work as it normally would...and all that assumes the user has java enabled in the first place. 

You're talking about a lot of work for very little gain in security.

However should you still desire to do that, those are basically your options.


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## BenjaminJ (Sep 8, 2013)

I just post my pics. Not too worried about someone using them. To me, if someone wants to use one, its just a compliment.


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## binar01011 (Sep 8, 2013)

BenjaminJ said:


> I just post my pics. Not too worried about someone using them. To me, if someone wants to use one, its just a compliment.




Benjamin,
Thanks for sharing your links. And thanks to everyone who so far have participated in this thread.  So far a I  learning a lot regarding this subject matter. 

I guess the only other option left for me to research is to forget about uploading any of my photos on the web and instead focus on whether it's possible to share my photos embedded inside a PDF slideshow file but that is coded to self destruct at an expiration date of my choosing.  Has anyone out there ever heard of PDF files that self destruct once it reaches an expire date?  Any opinions will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.


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## Buckster (Sep 8, 2013)

binar01011 said:


> I guess the only other option left for me to research is to forget about uploading any of my photos on the web and instead focus on whether it's possible to share my photos embedded inside a PDF slideshow file but that is coded to self destruct at an expiration date of my choosing.  Has anyone out there ever heard of PDF files that self destruct once it reaches an expire date?  Any opinions will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.


When they open the PDF to look at your photos, can they see them on their screen?  Yes?  

Then that means they can copy them in two seconds, and your self-destructing PDF (if such a thing exists) won't do a thing.

I repeat, for the third time: If they can see it on their screen, it can be copied in two seconds, and there's NOTHING you can do about that.

It really is just that simple.  Seriously.


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## binar01011 (Sep 8, 2013)

Buckster said:


> binar01011 said:
> 
> 
> > I guess the only other option left for me to research is to forget about uploading any of my photos on the web and instead focus on whether it's possible to share my photos embedded inside a PDF slideshow file but that is coded to self destruct at an expiration date of my choosing. Has anyone out there ever heard of PDF files that self destruct once it reaches an expire date? Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> ...




Buckster,  
Thanks for your post.  In my humble opinion, what you are saying would be true if the reciever of the PDF file would know in advance the file is going to self destruct.  If he knew beforehand, I agree with you that it's a piece of cake to hit the PRINT SCREEN button and copy the photos from the screen.  However, what I am proposing is a self destruct PDF that gives no advance notice what so ever.  The javascript in the PDF will check the system clock and if it is after the expire time in the javascript it deletes itself.   

I have been researching this matter via Google and what I have learned so far is that Adobe has an app and/or service called LiveCycle.  This app enables one to setup an expire date.  However, the problem is that it's extremely expensive. Not worth it for the average Joe who has photography as a hobby. 

Nevertheless, I did find another option I'm still trying to figure out because it involves considerable setup. Below is the link:

Basic Document Level (Document Open) Scripts

On this website if you scroll down to the bottom you will find a section titled: "Expire PDF on a Specific Date". Clicking on all three orange "SHOW" buttons provides all kinds of details on how it works and even the javascript itself. 

I would be tremendously appreciative if anyone out there can try adopting this code to a PDF file to test it out as my control experiment.  One thing I would really like to know is if JAVA needs to be installed on the computer of the reciever for this javascript to work?  Or is JAVA an app that is already included when one installs either Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Standard?   Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## SCraig (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, your little Javacript app reads the system date, determines that the document has expired, and does not allow it to be read.  The viewer counters by moving his computer's clock back a few days and goes happily about looking at it after all of your efforts.  In addition it clearly states on that page "However, this part can be beaten by simply turning off JavaScript".

For the last time: THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM USING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AS THEY DESIRE IS TO NOT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEM.  I'm done here.


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## Joeywhat (Sep 8, 2013)

That sounds like a lot of work for once again no gain, plus it'll probably piss off your customers.


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## KmH (Sep 8, 2013)

What customers?


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## manaheim (Sep 8, 2013)

In my experience... and I know this will sound a little harsh, but... the people who are most concerned about having their images stolen are those who are least at risk of it happening to them.

If I were you I would worry more about your photography and worry less about technical challenges for which there are no solutions.


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## sashbar (Sep 8, 2013)

Buckster said:


> No matter what kind of "protection" you use, if it can be seen on someone's screen, it can be copied in 2 seconds.  Period.



Exactly. You do not need PRINT SCREEN or right click to save the image. ANY image that you see can be copied.


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## _gingerstocking (Sep 8, 2013)

If you're that worried about it then throw a massive watermark through the center of the image and call it a day. That will deter 90% of the population from saving it.

The other 10% will just save it and remove the watermark themselves. In which case they would get it anyway.


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## binar01011 (Sep 9, 2013)

Thanks to all who participated in in this thread. It turned out to be an educational experience for me and I hope others as well.  Look forward to learning more about photography from this forum.  Agan, thanks to all again.


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