Block function for group leader & Disable right-click save images :rejected:

[blackbunii]

As the title indicated, I actually have 2 suggestions:

1/ If a reader can block a group's content, why not the opposite? Please add a function so a group can block a (or some) troll reader(s) from reading their content. They can make a new account but it would be more work for them so some may not even do that.

2/ Maybe consider disabling right-click "save images as". I know it's not gonna stop the bots to steal contents for aggregators but it will slow down or make it harder for individuals to download page to page. It might also discourage them so they would stop.

 

[blackyawgdom]

... Both would be denied.

 

[MoonlightFairy]

But... But... I won't be able to create a blushing Putin pict anymore

 

[TjapDjemboet]

or solo scanlator can do too, seriously most reader only brought toxic

 

[PantsMan]

Troll readers

lol who the hell is that even supposed to be? People reading manga ironically? User moderation is the mods' responsibility in relation to their specific rules, not a tool for offended scanlator groups.

 

[ABCsOfLife]

I think user blocking a group will virtualy gone unnotice, but if a group start blocking people, the blocked user might took notice on that and potentially (in less roundabout way to explain) leave this site.

 

[semicharmed]

User blocking groups goes unnoticed by the groups, since they can't really see who's blocked them, but with group leaders with their names displayed on group pages being able to block users would cause more damage to the group. Not to mention I can potentially see some scan groups being able to abuse this feature if ever there is some kind of disagreement with other scan groups and again with names displayed it kinda seems reckless. Blocked people can also just log-out since people without accounts can still read.

I don't know why disable right-click on a individual user level since most sites use bot scrapers anyway, the only reason I see this being useful is for people who share pages on instagram etc. But the problem, majority of those people who repost on instagram probably don't read on here? Maybe a small portion but there is some niche with the people here.

 

[Granitefish]

Disabling save image as would also hamper some people like me, who occasionally saves a page, crops some of it off, then shares it on discord and then link to the manga because I found it funny. I've had a few people start reading the manga I shared because of it. On the other end of it, the Bots won't be affected by it in any important manner.

 

[throughstars]

@Granitefish Try this alternative just use snip tool instead. Since you already mentioned that you just cropped it off and discord quality once being uploaded would truncated anyway.

 

[pikokola]

... troll...

The best way to deal with the troll is to ignore them, not revoking their privilege. As getting attention on their account is an achievement for a troll - and it could be used to create more drama, but getting their trolling attempt ignored is a disgrace.

... disabling ...

could be easily re-enabled. There's a better option like scrambling the image, but most MD's content is technically not owned by MD so there's no reason to bother with it. In contrary it would make people warry when the content they upload on MD couldn't be easily retrieved back since it ended up behind MD's "exclusive copy protection".

... it will slow down or make it harder for individuals to download page to page...

it would just encourage that individual to use third party application to crawl the site instead of downloading one by one, making them more efficient in doing it.

.... It might also discourage them so they would stop.

you're joking, right?

 

[MrIncognito]

@blackbunii
I'm fairly sure the concept of groups becoming moderators of readers/commenters of their content has come up before and has been rejected. If you're putting it up on Mangadex, it's so everyone can read it and talk about it. And trying to block a user from reading a given chapter is kind of laughably ineffective (make a new login? Or even just log out?)

As for the second thing... the vast majority of people stealing chapters for nefarious purposes aren't using the context menu to do it, let me tell you. And the few that are are just a google search away from finding out an alternative. The people who will feel the impact more are people who want to save clips for one reason or another.

 

[negavamas]

A group blocking a user from reading their stuff sounds awful, a user blocking a group has no impact to anyone except the user, a group could really screw things up. Just imagine you post something stupid on the forums and some groups decide they don't want you from reading their stuff, even though you don't interact with manga and chapter comments and you haven't done anything to them, that is just awful.

This is the equivalent of a user blocking a group and that group being unable to upload anything to the site period.

 

[Plykiya]

@blackbunii Both suggestions are rejected.

Blocking a group because you don't want to see their works on the site is not the same as a group deciding they don't want someone to read their stuff. A person blocking a group is something that only affects that person, nobody else knows about it, and nobody should care about it. A group blocking someone is actively denying someone else of content they read because they said something the group didn't like. It's not a group's decision on whether or not someone gets denied of access to certain content on our website, although the only people a group would block is limited to the people that can comment since that's the only way they'd know someone's username. If someone's saying dumb shit, report them or block them.

Disabling right click and save image doesn't do anything but aggravate the average user. Not to mention that scraper bots don't use right click and save image. We don't care if people are downloading chapters if they stay within our rate limits. If companies like Amazon can't prevent people from breaking DRM and distributing their stuff for free, it'd be a waste of time for us to try as well.

 

[blackbunii]

Aight, thanks for all the feedback! I haven’t thought it through.

1/ Ultimately, I just wanna avoid toxicity that was brought from some readers (now, I’m not saying all but we know they exist) or readers who would target a group specifically. What they do may not violate the site’s rules but can still be toxic.

2/ My idea is not to prevent the bots (as I specifically stated it above) bc at least when they take, they take all. I’m talking about those who would download and crop out scanslators’ names or remove their logos. Sure, they can use 3rd party apps but it doesn’t mean we have to make it easier for them. Regular readers can always screenshot or use snip tool but the quality won’t be the same. I just mentioned this bc most of the sites I visited have this disable so just wonder why MD doesn’t do the same.

 

[me_no_kishi]

@blackbunii Concerning '2' : Even if You disable right click to save images You can't prevent users to use 'Network' tab in developer tools to download images with full quality. People messed up enough to erase credits sure won't stop at no right-click image saving.

 

[Teasday]

_{@blackbunii posted:}

2/ My idea is not to prevent the bots (as I specifically stated it above) bc at least when they take, they take all. I’m talking about those who would download and crop out scanslators’ names or remove their logos. Sure, they can use 3rd party apps but it doesn’t mean we have to make it easier for them. Regular readers can always screenshot or use snip tool but the quality won’t be the same. I just mentioned this bc most of the sites I visited have this disable so just wonder why MD doesn’t do the same.

What? If someone is determined enough to download chapters only to re-upload them somewhere else, regardless of whether they're also cropping out logos or whatever, hampering right-clicking in a browser does absolutely nothing to prevent that. There are easily available scripts to download images en mass without even opening the reader anyway. The ONLY group of people this kind of a change would affect is the people who don't have malicious motives in the first place, and it makes no sense whatsoever to annoy them.

MD doesn't do the same because it's completely pointless and inconveniences nobody except regular users. We know how the internet works. As a group leader who seems to get their raws from digital sources, I would have expected you to know that as well.

 

[blackbunii]

@teasday Welp, thanks for expecting so highly of me! (I’m honored). Before leaving this thread for good, just gonna leave my final thought on the matter.

Well, before I am a leader, I am also a reader and I know how annoying and time consuming it *can* be if you’re gonna download page by page for multiple chapters and mangas. People deep down are lazy, we don’t like inconvenience in a lot of cases. Is it gonna stop them from taking? Ofc not. But is it gonna slow them down? Yes. Is it gonna make it harder for them? Yes. Is it gonna discourage them? Maybe (a little but still yes).

Is locking your door gonna prevent thieves from robbing you? Not really if they’re determined (right?). But do you still lock it? Yes.

 

[crazybars]

@blackbunii

It won't work. Most people who download manga use Automated programs to do so. People who know how to do it are impossible to stop because they can automate counters to any obstacle you throw at them.

If Photo sites and the Official Manga sources can't stop people even today from automatically downloading, it's unlikely Mangadex will ever be able to stop them with barely a fraction of their money reserves.

Besides, your browser itself requires a method to load the images to show to you. Programmers target the vulnerability at that point, not the front end code like Right click protection.

 

[Teasday]

_{@blackbunii posted:}

Is locking your door gonna prevent thieves from robbing you? Not really if they’re determined (right?). But do you still lock it? Yes.

When the window is wide open, locking the door isn't going to do much to prevent thieves. It's just going to prevent guests.

 

[Begoneclowns]

It won't work. Most people who download manga use Automated programs to do so. People who know how to do it are impossible to stop because they can automate counters to any obstacle you throw at them.

You're talking like such a program is just lying around to use and everyone knows how to use them. People who (know how to use and) use such programs already put up their own aggregation sites. Regular readers like you and me wouldn't know how to use or have such bots to do those tricks.

Personally, I really like how some Japanese retails use the "chop up images" method or reduce the res of the images to minimize stealing as much as possible.