How do I disable the "share" option on a post?

[ratherastory]

Hey all!

I am slow about LJ things, but I realized that the "share" link on my entries allows people to reblog my posts like Tumblr, and modify the content therein. I am unthrilled with this, to say the least. I don't like the idea of someone being able to modify/twist/misrepresent what I'm saying. Not to mention that it makes it much easier for plagiarists to run amok. Not that people are lining up to plagiarize my stuff, but it's the principle of the thing.

So, is there any way of disabling that "feature?" Anyone? Bueller?

Comments

[embroiderama]

Friends-locked posts can't be shared, other than that I don't know.

[elliemurasaki.livejournal.com]

I thought the share button was just a thing that you click and it provides a preformatted link to the post in question on the service you're sharing it on. *tests* Well you can see how often I share things on LJ. I bet there isn't any way to disable it, because LJ's business model seems to be 'turn into a clone of $latestshiny while fucking over people who are customers of LJ precisely because it is not $latestshiny', but I'll look.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but 99% of my entries are public, and I don't want to have to lock my fic. Seems like it defeats the purpose, you know?

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought too, but it really seems like you can modify the content once you click "share." It's disconcerting.

[elliemurasaki.livejournal.com]

I knew it was possible to add to and modify the content of a post one is sharing when the post was being shared via a 'Share this!' button added to the post by its author, but that is by its nature opt-in and applicable only to the posts one wishes it to apply to. This is...bleh.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I just want to be able to opt out if I so desire. Maybe I don't WANT my fanfic crossposted to Facebook, you know? :P

[embroiderama]

I'm no fan of it, but it's been around for quite some time now and it doesn't seem like bad things have been happening. I'd love it if LJ let us opt out, but this particular ship is pretty well sailed, I think. :\

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I mostly noticed because it's SO much more prominent on the new friends' page. There's a giant button encouraging people to share your stuff all over the internet. :/

[dante-s-hell.livejournal.com]

Gosh, I didn't even know about this. Sort of scares me to death. Sounds as if the only recourse is to ask people politely not to share. I do wish there were a more permanent solution, though.

[katwoman76.livejournal.com]

I don't like the new friends page and hope I won't be forced to switch to it anytime soon.

[ursamajor]

Hi! Here via elliemurasaki. There is not a great, 100% complete way to disable sharing (nothing in your profile settings, for example; might be worth taking to suggestions), but there's a superficial if vaguely fug way.

If you go to your journal style customization settings, your existing style might include a way to customize the text. Deleting the "Share" text and making sure that field is completely empty before saving let me remove the share link from my journal and its public entries.

Disclaimers/Problems:
- may require paid account
- - which is due to change in the near future when LJ gets rid of paid accounts, but I have no idea how this will affect anyone's ability to do journal customization, so this may only be a temporary solution at best regardless.
- may require switching to a style that supports this particular text customization, or creating your own style
- easily evadable with ?format=light, and does not get rid of the prominent Share button on the new Friends page.

Edited because it's been forever since I used LJ user tags and forgot the formatting

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

They can EDIT those shared posts? Oy. *eyeroll* LJ, what is your damage, man?

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

LJ's getting rid of paid accounts? Wow.

Just...everything they're doing...urgh. They're like the best advertising for DW ever.

[tabaqui]

Not really. They're making paid accounts a la carte, so that you can pick and choose what you want and only pay for those functions.

[tabaqui]

I just did this but i can't see 'share' on my posts anyway, not before or after so...i can't tell if it worked.

LJ isn't actually getting rid of paid accounts, they're making them a la carte so you can pick and choose which functions you actually want. Like - i don't care about voice posts, and so will be happy to not pay for that in any way.

[ursamajor]

Yeah, what tabaqui said re the transformation of paid accounts; I misspoke. I do wonder what services they will be breaking out as add-ons to be paid for, what will remain available to all accounts, and what stuff is going away.

[ursamajor]

*nodnod* Thanks for clarifying re the paid account transformation; didn't mean to make it sound quite so melodramatic as it came out >_>

I don't see the "share" option when I look at your public journal posts in the style you've applied, so for now, that hack works (and/or the style you're using didn't code in share links to begin with). The share option does show up in ?format=light (the + button in the row of buttons), but that's at least one extra step to find the "official" sharing option, so while it won't deter someone determined to share directly from your journal (or who is reading their friends page using a style that has share links), it will be a minor obstacle for someone driving by your journal on its own. When the new friends page (example: yours) goes live, though, unless LJ specifically builds in an option to disable sharing of your public posts, even that ability will probably go away.

[tabaqui]

Ah - okay. Thanks for that! I don't use that format=light thing, but i suppose if people are going that extra step i'll just have to deal.

I'm nervous about clinking the second link - is that just going to show me an example, or is it going to switch on the beta. And if it *does* - how do i switch it off?

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Pretty much. I mean, it's been around for a while and hasn't been used much, but now that people are so much more accustomed to reblogging things thanks to Tumblr, it makes me a little nervous.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip! Customizing does require a paid account, AFAIK, but maybe that will change with the new à la carte stuff.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Those options have been around for a while, but they're becoming MUCH more prominent with the new friends' page. I'm just worried that the proliferation of Tumblr will have taught people it's okay to reblog and modify stuff without asking for permission or giving credit.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I've clicked on it a few times and it doesn't switch permanently. You get a link to switch back for now.

*clings to old LJ*

[tabaqui]

Bleh.