Prevent Video Download

[babs]

I want to share videos but prevent the download option. I can't disable the right-click on the page because there are other items that need to be open for download.

Is there a code that I can use to selectively disable the right-click per hyperlink on the page?

Thank you,

[djr33]

You can find something like this on google. However, it will not work because people will find a way to get around it. There are more ways around this than there are ways to stop it. If you attempt to stop it, then what you will actually do is just bother normal users and not stop people who are stealing your video. And also, some people will need to download it to view it, if they can't play it in the browser.

[traq]

to be clear, even "streaming" a video involves downloading it. if it is seen, then it's been downloaded. most people just don't know where to find it on their HD.

[djr33]

It's technically possible to actually stream a video (this is a technical word), such as from a streaming server so that it never is saved on the hard drive, or at least its data is only temporarily stored in small chunks; maybe it just stays in RAM (I'm not sure on the details). However, to set this up you need a true streaming server and it's not easy; you can use Flash, and Flash Media Server (about $4000, or you can rent one monthly with limited access, like a hosting account).

When people usually use the word "stream" it's in a much looser sense: view in the browser, rather than intentionally save as a [permanent] file. In fact, this is exactly the same, except where it is saved and how long it is kept. If it's a file (if there's an http URL to it) then it's downloaded, exactly like traq says.

And even if you do actually stream it, there are still ways around this if someone wants to go to the trouble of saving the video. Unlike images and audio, though, it's a lot harder to save a video and this will in fact block most people from being able to save it. Additionally, since you already need plugins to play a video, it isn't that much of a tradeoff, and in fact many big companies do this. For example, youtube attempts to block downloading in this way. But if you do a search for "download youtube video" you will find many ways including lots of programs that can do it. Basically, streaming is a different approach to sending data so that a standard web browser (and therefore a standard web user) can't access it directly without the help of a plugin. It's not "secure" against someone who knows a lot about the technology, though, and often if you have people stealing your content in a harmful way, they will know that sort of thing.

And like images or audio, there are a few tricks. One is simple: do a video screen recording. But I expect you're probably not worried about that.