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How To Help Prevent Somebody From Stealing Your Blog Posts And Photos

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Hugh W. Roberts

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Have you ever had any of your blog posts stolen? What I mean by that is literally copied word for word to another blog.

It’s happened to me a few times, and it’s also happened recently to James, who blogs at Perfect Manifesto. Read his post here.

Reading James’s post prompted me to update and republish this post from 2019.

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Are you protecting your blog posts and photos from being stolen and used without your permission?

Some of my blog posts have been copied and published on other blogs. The thieves gave full credit for the work to themselves. When it first happened to me, I was utterly shocked and angry.

Unfortunately, with the internet being such a vast, open space used by billions of people worldwide, the chance of having your blog posts or work stolen is high.

Don’t think your blog is too small to have its contents stolen. As you’ll see in the comment image below, James felt his blog was too small for anyone to want to steal his blog posts, but he was wrong.

Screenshot showing comments about stolen blog posts
Never assume that nobody will steal your blog posts, images or photos

Whether it’s photos, fiction, reviews, poetry, recipes or gardening tips, everything faces the chance of being copied and somebody else taking full credit for your hard work.

What should you do if you discover one of your blog posts or photos have been stolen?

Contact the blogger concerned and ask them to remove what they have stolen.

If that fails, contact the blogging platform hosting the blog and file a copyright claim against the blogger. Whenever I have filed a claim. I’ve been lucky that the offending blogs and their contents were deleted.

Click here to find out what to do if a WordPress.Com user has infringed your Copyright.

What Can I Do To Protect My Blog Posts And Photos Being Stolen?

What I am about to advise you to do may not stop somebody else from copying your work, but it acts as a warning to anyone thinking of copying or duplicating your work without your permission that they could face the possibility of prosecution, a fine, both, or having their blog deleted by their host.

1. Display a copyright and disclaimer notice

I recommend that anybody with their own blog or web page clearly display a ‘Copyright and/or Disclaimer’ notice.

Some websites offer ‘Copyright and Disclaimer’ notices free of charge and give instructions on how to copy and paste one of these notices to your blog or webpage.

WordPress offers excellent advice and instructions on displaying a ‘Copyright and/or Disclaimer’ notice. Click here to view it.

2. Widgets and menus

If you use a theme on your blog which displays widgets, I recommend you display your Copyright and/or disclaimer notice as one of your widgets. I use the Toujours theme on my blog, and the widgets I use are displayed on the sidebar to the right of my blog posts.

My ‘Copyright’ notice is the last widget at the bottom of my sidebar, while my disclaimer notice (Disclaimer & GDPR) can be found on the menu at the top of my blog. Take a look at them.

You are welcome to use them as your blog’s copyright and disclaimer notices. All you need to do is copy and paste them to your own blog and, where necessary, change some of the wording to reflect your own name and the name of your blog.

If you’re unsure what ‘widgets’ are or how to add them to your WordPress blog, click here for full details.

3. Copyright every blog post

I always add a copyright mark at the end of all my blog posts. All my posts finish with Copyright © (Year) hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved. Doing this also helps as a deterrent against copying my posts. Remember to change the year when a new year begins.

You’ll see I’ve placed a copyright notice at the base of this post.

When a bot or spambot copies one of your posts, it won’t remove the copyright mark. Therefore, anyone reading the post may become suspicious and realise the post has been stolen. It also acts as a warning not to follow the blog that has stolen the post.

4. Protect your photos and images

Many bloggers also include photos and pictures in their posts.

While you may display a Copyright and/or disclaimer notice on your blog, I recommend you also watermark your photos and images.

Most computers come with software that helps edit photos you have loaded onto your hard drive, but there are other ways to watermark them.

I use an app called ‘Photobulk’ to watermark all my photos. It’s easy to use and costs around $9.99, but it can often be found on offer or free to download from the developer’s website. Click here to visit the website. (The link is not an affiliated link, so I do not receive any payment from it.)

I simply drag any photos I want to watermark to Photobulk, type in the text for the watermark I use (in my case, I use © hughsviewsandnews.com), and press ‘start.’ My photos are then watermarked with my details.

There are free watermarking apps for Apple products, too many to mention here, so check the Apple App Store for more details.

What about Android users?

Click here for a free photo watermarking app for android. As an Apple user, I’ve never used the app, but the reviews for this particular app are excellent.

Don’t forget you can also add copyright notices as a photo caption. Your copyright details will then show under the photo, but it is best to watermark the photos, making stealing them more difficult.

5. Remove the reblog button from your blog

If you don’t want your blog posts stolen or shared by other bloggers, consider removing the reblog button from your blog. My post, Is Reblogging Dead? Why I Have Removed The Reblog Button From My Blog, details why you should remove the reblog button and how to remove it.

If you have a reblog button on your blog, readers will assume you’re happy for them to reblog your posts. So, remove the reblog button if you don’t want any of your posts reblogged.

6. Remember to update

Finally, always ensure you download the latest updates for any apps or software you use; otherwise, they may not work correctly. This includes antivirus software for your computer and the latest updates for the blogging platform you use.

Of course, if you’re not worried about your blog posts, work, photos or images being copied or used without your permission, you can ignore all the above advice. However, I’d be surprised if any bloggers are not concerned about their posts, work and photos being stolen.

Remember what I said earlier? James thought his blog was a low target for thieves to steal his blog posts, but it happened.

If you have any questions about displaying copyright and/or disclaimer notices on your blog, please leave a comment.

Let’s wrap it up

  • Don’t assume your blog is too small to have anything stolen from it. It can happen to anyone.
  • Display a copyright and disclaimer notice on your blog.
  • Copyright every blog post by adding a copyright mark at the end of every post.
  • Watermark photos and images with the name of your blog before inserting them into posts.
  • If you don’t want other bloggers reblogging your posts, remove the reblog button from your blog.
  • Remember to update apps, antivirus software and any updates your blogging host releases.

Have you ever had your blog posts and/or photos/images copied and used without your permission? What do you do to help stop your blog posts, photos and images from being used illegally?

Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

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76 responses to “How To Help Prevent Somebody From Stealing Your Blog Posts And Photos”

  1. BookerTalk avatar
    BookerTalk

    It took me a while to realise that a blogger who was ‘re-blogging’ my content was effectively stealing it – I thought at first it was flattering that they thought the content so good that they wanted to share it. How dumb could I be!

    Good tip about adding a copyright notice to all posts. I think I should do that with my pages too

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Some people will go to any length to pretend they’re doing something nice, while all they are doing is stealing your posts. It’s another good reason for removing the reblog button.

      I use a reusable block for the copyright notice at the end of all my blog posts. It saves me time in having to retype it every time I write a new post. It acts as a further deterrent if somebody is thinking about stealing my content.

      Reply
      1. BookerTalk avatar
        BookerTalk

        The copyright notice is such a good tip, and so easy to do using the reusable block as you say.

        Reply
  2. Renard Moreau avatar
    Renard Moreau

    🤔 Hugh, I know what it is like to have my work stolen. I was fortunate enough to have the offender remove my blog post from their blog.

    In regards to reblogging, people can still reblog our blog posts despite the removal of the “Reblog” button; that action can be carried out via the WordPress Reader.

    The people who engage in content theft are getting wiser. Instead of publishing our content word for word on their blog, they are running our blog posts through article spinning software (And that makes the content theft harder to detect).

    Plagiarism has always been an issue on the internet and from the looks of things, a lot of dishonest people are going to get away with it.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      In an earlier comment (and in a recent post), I mentioned that posts can still be reblogged from the WordPress Reader, Renard. I hope that the flaw will one day be addressed by WordPress and it will be removed.

      It’s a real shame that these content thieves are getting away with stealing the work and photos of others. That is why we should do everything we can to protect our work and blogs. I’m positive that some thieves will think twice about stealing content if they see the copyright and disclaimer notices on a blog. It’s just one of the reasons why I have them on my blog.

      Reply
  3. TanGental avatar
    TanGental

    Excellent stuff. It’s probably a cement on the quality of my posts that I’m not aware of that’s but I’m sure it has happened.
    I would make the point which you sort of allude to that you don’t need to state explicitly your work is copyrighted for it to be so. What you suggest, esp watermarking is a great deterrent but not strictly necessary. Your work = your copyright. Reading your post may leave some worried that without that little (c)insertname they are exposed when they’re not.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks for the clarification, Geoff.

      However, the visibility of copyright and disclaimer notices will make many thieves think twice before stealing any content. They’re more likely to steal content if they see no notifications. Of course, it won’t stop any bots from copying content, but when readers see a copyright notice that has nothing to do with the blog, it’ll make most think twice about following it. As I mentioned in the post, we should do everything we can to deter thives from stealing our content.

      Reply
      1. TanGental avatar
        TanGental

        I hoped I made it clear that your post was excellent and what you say is spot on (when isn’t it); my concern was those readers who’d not thought about it who might think they had no protection at all. Not a big point!

        Reply
  4. Cathy Cade avatar
    Cathy Cade

    thanks for those links – I have some reading to do…

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome, Cathy.

      Reply
  5. Anu HR avatar
    Anu HR

    Definitely helpful for beginners. Didn’t had much idea about this. Thank you

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome. I’m glad it’s helped.

      Reply
  6. Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader) avatar
    Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader)

    I have not had this happen to me but I have heard of others who have. I have a copy protection plugin installed that prevents people from copying content from my site. It’s a tip I learned from another blogger.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      The copy protection plugin sounds interesting, Michele. How does it work? Is it a case that nobody can copy and paste or take screenshots of your blog?

      Reply
      1. Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader) avatar
        Michelle (Boomer Eco Crusader)

        Yes. It’s a free plugin that prevents readers from selecting text and images, or right clicking to print preview. It also disables printing which is an unfortunate downside.

        I suppose they could still take screenshots using the snipping tool or other simila applications but it at least makes it a little more difficult to steal content which will hopefully deter all but the most determined of thieves.

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          Thank you, Michelle, that is very useful to know. And I’m sure it will deter some thieves.

          Reply
  7. Liesbet @ Roaming About avatar
    Liesbet @ Roaming About

    You certainly have your act together on your blog, Hugh. I hope the notices and disclaimers have prevented other people from stealing your content. You might have noticed a difference, but this is probably hard to tell.

    Good idea about finishing every post with a copyright notice as well. I just have a small note about this in my widget bar to the right and on the complete bottom of the pages. I don’t think I’ve had content stolen yet. But then again, I’m not browsing the web for it, or stumbling across it, or had anyone point this out to me.

    An event I do remember is related to stolen content and photos of our for sale ad we composed for our sailboat, Irie, a few years ago. Someone who was selling the same brand and year of catamaran had copied our photos in their own ad. We were upset by that and contacted the seller. He took the photos down.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      It’s hard to tell if the notices and disclaimers have had any effect, Liesbet, but I think they have. At the very least, just seeing them will make some thieves think twice about stealing content. Sometimes, it’s more about the visibility of notices.

      I use a reusable block for my copyright notice at the end of all blog posts, so it’s a case of one click to insert it. Saves some time than having to type it at the end of every post.

      It’s good to hear that the person who stole your photos from the ad you had placed did remove them when you contacted him. I’ve been lucky that all the stolen content I’ve reported has been removed. In some cases, the whole blog was deleted.

      Reply
  8. Terri Webster Schrandt avatar
    Terri Webster Schrandt

    Hi, Hugh! Excellent information on the best practices for protecting our creative online works. I think I was one of those folks who saw one of your pirated posts and alerted you. It still irritates me that some will “reblog” a post and plop it into their own website/blog as if it was their own content. I haven’t had the reblog button for a while and this still happens, and they include a link, which is odd. Thanks for the creative commons link…I just updated mine.

    I stopped publishing even partial song lyrics on my posts since there seems to be no wiggle room to do so without express permission. I’ve only done this carefully and used lyrics as a quote, but that could be asking for trouble.
    We bloggers always appreciate your excellent advice for our blogs! PS we did not go camping this week due to the extreme heat in our area. Good week to take a break and do some blog admin, like this!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You were, indeed, Terri. And I’m very thankful to you for looking out for me and letting me know that some of my posts had been stolen. If those thieves had removed the pingbacks in the post to your blog, I might never have known that they had been stolen. Forrtunatly, they were silly enough to forget to remove them.

      Even though you have removed the reblog button from your blog post, your posts can still be reblogged from the WordPress Reader. Such a shame that WordPress has not removed that flaw, but I am aware there is pressure on them to do so. Certainly, when I next speak to them, I’ll ask them why they haven’t done it.

      I’m amazed by how many bloggers I know who publish song lyrics on their blogs. It’s a slippery path, which could bring them trouble.

      Sorry to hear the camping trip had to be postponed because of the hot temperatures. We’ve come out of a 4-day heatwave. I stayed inside for 4 days. But I did not mind, because I got a lot of blog admin done (more about that in another post).

      Reply
      1. Terri Webster Schrandt avatar
        Terri Webster Schrandt

        I always forget about how we can share from the WP reader…shows you how much I use it, Hugh 🥴 Hope you can have a good conversation about that with WP. Also, shouldn’t WP have a site listing suggested dos and don’ts for publishing potential copyright infringing text? Maybe they do… but if a blogger is named in a lawsuit for copyright infringement, the lawsuit could include WP and Automattic as well.
        Another heat wave for the next week. We do things outside in the morning then hide in the house 🤣

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          There is quite a bit of information on WordPress about copyright infringement, Terri. But they probably have themselves covered in the small print of terms and conditions of using their platform. Many online companies bury the information deep in the small print.

          I know of a group of bloggers on the forums who are shocked that WordPress still allows the downloading of images and photos from a post being reblogged. Their advice (which I took) was not to reblog any posts and to delete any reblogs you may have. They also recommend removing the reblog button from your blog. I was asked to join the group, but I’d be spending all my time in the forums (which I didn’t want to do), so I declined. However, I keep in touch with one of the members.

          As for the heatwave, you do right by staying in the house when it gets too hot. My partner walked our dogs early in the morning and late evening, but I refused to allow that hot sun or air on my fair skin.

          Reply
          1. Terri Webster Schrandt avatar
            Terri Webster Schrandt

            As for those reblogs, sounds like another admin day for me today. Thanks for that reminder, Hugh!

            Reply
  9. GhastlyMirror avatar
    GhastlyMirror

    thank i might use these, i just realized i gotta put watermarks from now on

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Watermarking photos and images will undoubtedly stop most thieves from stealing them.

      Reply
  10. JT Twissel avatar
    JT Twissel

    I’m not aware of anyone stealing content. Reblogging yes, but not that often.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      It does happen. I’ve had it happen to me several times, and James had content stolen more recently.

      Reply
  11. lydiaschoch avatar
    lydiaschoch

    Interesting! I’d always assumed that only big blogs would have this sort of problem. It’s good to know smaller bloggers should protect themselves, too.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Many bloggers think it’ll only be the big blogs that get content stolen. I’d only been blogging for a year when I first had a post stolen. It can happen to anyone who publishes content online.

      Reply
  12. willowdot21 avatar
    willowdot21

    Thank you Hugh , more helpful info 💜

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome, Willow.

      Reply
  13. Penny Wilson Writes avatar
    Penny Wilson Writes

    Thanks, Hugh. I love your instructions and advice! They are always clear and easy to understand. I added that (C) notice to my blog this morning! Thanks again! :)

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      You’re welcome, Penny.

      Good to hear you added copyright details to your blog. And thank you for the lovely feedback about the instructions and advice I give on my posts.

      Reply
  14. Erika avatar
    Erika

    I haven’t noticed yet that my posts got stolen. But you never know. I have that copyright on my blog. the copyright on the post, is that just a sentence you add? Or is it something you can set in the settings for every post?

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Quite a few times (when it’s happened to me), somebody from the blogging community has alerted me to one of my posts or photos being stolen, Erika. And some thieves forget to remove pingbacks from posts they are copying, so I’ll get a pingback notification. Some of the thieves make it easy to find them.

      I’ve created a reusable block for the copyright notice I use on my posts, meaning I don’t have to retype it every time I draft a new post.

      Reply
      1. Erika avatar
        Erika

        It is a shame that some people cannot simply forward the honor of a content… However, I see the importance clearly.
        Thanks for the hint. I will create such a reusable block. Thank you, Hugh!

        Reply
  15. Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry avatar
    Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry

    I often quote bits from other blogs, but always give credit back to where the quote came from. Another area that’s hard is book reviews. You have to be careful not to use the same wording as the author does in their blub. If you do, you must quote it. This was an excellent post, Hugh. I use the Press This function on Add to Any. It gives me a clean link back to the post. Well done on all the information. 👏🏻 💜

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks, Colleen.

      I hadn’t thought about book reviews, but I see quite a few bloggers adding song lyrics to blog posts which is another concern regarding copyright laws. I always say it’s best never to use anybody else’s words unless you give them credit. But even then, some copyright laws require us to get permission before publishing them.

      Reply
      1. Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry avatar
        Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry

        So true. The same goes for fonts… that has become another huge mess. This was such a great post. Thanks again.

        Reply
    2. BookerTalk avatar
      BookerTalk

      Publishers don’t tend to see use of their blurb as an issue. In fact some of them encourage it when they are organising “blog tours”. I never do it because I can’t see the point in just repeating what a potential reader can see for themselves. i prefer to write my own version

      Reply
      1. Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry avatar
        Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry

        That’s wonderful. I quote poetry sometimes from my Kindle online as part of my review. I also share quotes from poetry blogs that teach how to write certain forms. I think it’s important to give credit to the original author.

        Reply
        1. BookerTalk avatar
          BookerTalk

          I think there’s a different Colleen between using a blurb which is essentially a marketing tool – and you’ll find them on every website where the book is sold — and the poetry which is classed as content.

          Reply

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