How can I copy protect my online lessons?

[InfoTek]

How can I copy protect my online lessons?

Between the experts at Stack Exchange who claim that copy protection is a useless inconvenience and those who do provide copy protection for video and PDF claiming that protecting web pages is impossible, what can I do to copy protect my online course content (mixed media) that is published on web pages? They all say that it can only be done using a desktop app.

But I prefer to publish my lessons on web pages because they can be easily managed by membership/login for different course levels and syllabus.

How can I prevent copy of those web pages?

[Kendo]

copy protection is a useless inconvenience

If any of those self proclaimed experts actually had intellectual property of their own, they would be making a different squeak.

protecting web pages is impossible

It has always been possible. But they won't admit it because it would direct attention away from their limited offering.

[Support]

It has always been possible.

Yes. The misinformation that others in the copy protection industry resort to helps disguise their shortcomings. Because while they may be able to copy protect PDF in a desktop reading app or copy protect video in a desktop video player, they cannot do much at all when that same content is displayed on a web page; and that is wholly and solely due to the fact that they would have to rely on popular web browsers like Edge, Firefox, Chrome and Safari, which are useless for copy protection.

We used to be able to use ActiveX and NPAPI plugins in those browsers that could action at system level to control capture and recording. But since 2015 those types of plugins were outlawed, mainly due to the influence of Google - their Chrome browser had lame support for NPAPI and by undermining competitors, they could enhance the value of their WideVine solution for video.

As a result the copy protection industry was prevented from copy protecting web page content.

But that never affected ArtistScope because the ArtisBrowser had already evolved to fill the void left by the other web browsers. Copy protection for web pages had always been unstable ground while web browsers chopped and changed, but dropping NPAPI and ActiveX removed their capacity for copy protection beyond recall.

While that may have seemed to be bad news for website owners, it was actually a blessing, because by using a secure web browser properly designed to copy protect web content, web pages could finally be very much more secure from ALL avenues of exploit, and more importantly, remain secure without the threat of being undermined by yet another browser brain-fart.

Solutions for copy protecting web pages

• ArtistScope Site Protection System (ASPS) - creates a secure tunnel between the web server and the user's desktop in which nothing can be copied in nay way. Requires a dedicated server or VPS - https://artistscope.com/asps_web_site_protection.asp

• Guest Video - provides secure file hosting with options for DRM, copy protection and watermarking. Integrates with our ASPS server. Cheaper hosting than Vimeo and better copy protection than everyone. Add protected media to existing web pages or publish standalone web pages (no website required) - https://guest.video

• Safeguard Media - adds copy protection to WordPress and Moodle web pages from their inline editor. Integrates with our ASPS server. Copy protect images, text, PDF and video while displayed on web pages - https://safeguard.media/wordpress-protection.asp

How can anyone in the copy protection industry deny the existence of these solutions and their effectiveness?

[InfoTek]

So my web pages can only be copy protected when viewed using Artisbrowser?

What happens if someone uses another web browser like Chrome?

[Kendo]

So my web pages can only be copy protected when viewed using Artisbrowser?

There are no ifs, buts or maybes about copy protecting web pages. Only while viewed by the ArtisBrowser can copy protected web pages be safe from all exploits. If you want to copy protect web pages, users need use ArtisBrowser while viewing the ASPS supported solutions mentioned above.

What happens if someone uses another web browser like Chrome?

They cannot view the web page. Instead they are courteously redirected to the download page for ArtisBrowser.

This solution cannot be more secure because without ArtisBrowser the web page cannot be decrypted, and without decryption there is nothing worthwhile to display or scrape.

[InfoTek]

We are not using WordPress so cannot use the Safeguard or Guest Video plugins. That leaves ASPS which sounds perfect for us but it looks like it requires a dedicated server, why is that?

Also, with ASPS, can our videos be stored on services like Dropbox and other file hosting services?

[Support]

ASPS requires a dedicated server, why is that?

ASPS is a server side module that encrypts web pages and it needs to be installed at root level of the server. Normal web hosting plans share a web server with no access to the server's root level. For the rights to install below root level, one does need a dedicated server or VPS.

can our videos be stored on services like Dropbox and other file hosting services?

Yes, media files can be stored anywhere, but attention needs to be paid to access privileges and some services may not be able to limit access via your website, ie: can be downloaded directly by anyone with the link to the media file. In that respect Dropbox is not a good choice.

Amazon S3 is most recommended because it checks that the media is displayed on your web page - not accessible by direct download.

Other file hosting services like Vimeo and Guest Video also provide hosting restrictions.

[Kendo]

ASPS... does need a dedicated server or VPS.

Dedicated servers require some experience in setting up a barebones server. But a VPS can come with operating system (OS) already installed and with a dashboard for server management.

But care should be taken in choosing a VPS because some plans, while they might be extremely economical, they can be very too limiting to use for anything but simple websites. For example, the control panel may have taken control over everything, preventing the installation and configuration of new server modules. Some that we have encountered actually prevented access to the server as the root user. Such managed servers might by good for "newbie site owners" but they are useless for ASPS as it cannot be installed without by direct SSH.

Another drawback with a host managed VPS is that server infra-structure can be updated without your knowledge or any consideration given to the features that your websites require.

Regardless of whether it is a dedicated server or VPS, you as the owner, should have the rights to install what you want. Otherwise, what use is it?

If in doubt, ask the ArtistScope support team to check it out before you commit.

[InfoTek]

My partner has suggested that if we are hosting video on a third party server, then we only need economical (shared) webhosting that will be a lot easier to manage. But if it doesn't use WordPress (we use custom bootstrap) can we somehow use ASPS like the Safeguard Media plugin does?

[Kendo]

can we use ASPS like the Safeguard Media plugin does?

Yes. The Guest Video service provides copy protected hosting for media files and web pages.

With a Guest Video account you can create standalone web pages, that can then be embedded into your own web pages.



By using an iFrame your visitors cannot tell the difference; the page they are visiting will be on your website.

Using a header and footer around the iFrame is optional. For example you could just display the iFrame on its own, and even open the page fullscreen to display PDF and video at the largest size possible for the user's screen size.