7 Reasons not to disable Right Click on Browsers

Sites disabling normal functions within the browser such as right click, copy, paste, selection etc. have the following faulty thinking.

Most of their visitors are there to copy their content.

1. This is more likely to turn visitors away as it interferes with their normal use of a common application.
2. It creates a negative image of the company (suspicious and non trusting).
3. It inconveniences the majority for a potential transgression by a small percentage of visitors.

Those who want to copy their content now cannot.

1. Most scrapers can easily bypass the above restrictions.
2. Users intent on copying can easily get the source code and extract what they want.
3. Covering for all browser types and their versions is not worth the effort.
4. Since most methods involve javascript, disabling scripts usually bypasses this or breaks the site.

It is like a shopkeeper asking each shopper to go through a security check before entering their shop. All it does is turn away visitors and can lead to potential losses rather than any of the perceived gains.

The blocking process creates a very negative image of the site and company and causes loss of brand value. After all the site is there for a purpose, not exactly to post one's trade secrets but to promote the business.

P.S. Came across a more detailed view from 2002 at Sitepoint by Rosemary Wise. Amazing that the problem still exists seven years later.