Prevent Image Downloads

prevent-image-downloads.js

$(function(){
  $.each( $("img"), function(){
    $(this).parents().show().end().show().css({
      "background-image": "url(" + $(this).attr("src") + ")",
      "background-size": "100%",
      "width": $(this).width(),
      "height": $(this).height()
    }); // show all images so that their size isn't 0x0 - showing parents enables children to be shown too. Then replace src with decoy image and make background the real image with the proper scale in case the image is scaled.
    $(this).attr("src","./image/cache/empty.png");
  });
});

// I think this is really against the nature of the web to try and "prevent" the download of images, but a client wanted this so it had to be done despite my personal convictions. If you use this code, please realize that you are making a sad attempt at usurping how the internet works. If someone can see an image on your website, then that image is already downloaded onto their computer. It's just in a temporary location that makes it difficult but not impossible for them to find and exploit. I do advise that we all follow copyright laws, but copyrighted images are 'copied' each time they are displayed in a person's web browser. If you don't want images to be downloaded, don't put them on the internet. The end.