Invisible Data Scraping: When Your Art Is Taken Without a Trace. 6/6
- Marc Morgenstern
- Jan 11
- 1 min read
Part 6/6: Ways Creators Are Having Their Art Stolen Online
The most widespread form of creative theft often leaves no evidence.
Invisible data scraping happens quietly, at scale, without consent or notification.
What Data Scraping Looks Like
Automated bots collect images from websites, portfolios, and social platforms.Artists are never told.Consent is never asked.
Why It’s So Hard to Detect
You won’t see reposts. You won’t see listings. Your work simply disappears into datasets.
Case Study: Artists Discover Their Work in AI Datasets
Many artists found their work inside public AI training datasets — without permission or notice.
Why Companies Scrape
Why Artists Lose After the Fact
There is no opt-out.No centralized record.No easy proof.
What Creators Can Do
Limit public resolution. Use licensing language. Support consent-first platforms.
Why This Article Matters
Invisible scraping fuels every other form of creative theft.
Where Artist Armor Comes In
We’re building transparency, consent, and protection into the creative ecosystem.Your art matters — even when it’s taken quietly.
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