https://www.renderotica.com/gallery/shorturl/552692/Anti-Piracy-ad-2
I put up images like this in my comic - joking but friendly reminders if someone pirates it they can "Vote with their currency" for something they like - that dropping small amounts of money in the small press/indie market does affect it versus the stuff the giant companies decide to excrete. Active things with living authors versus scans of Warren comics of the 70s that have most everyone involved dead now and they (latter years) only paid some of the writers/artists for their works in the first place. New publications versus ancient 70s/80s thing someone holds the 'copyright' to but does NOTHING with, etc.
You can't stop people from pirating your stuff. I have cartoons from years ago circulating, political cartoons I did for a small local paper but yes got paid for... Be nice if I got $35 for websites that host them prominently as I got once for the local paper that printed them, but ain't going to happen. Furthermore, going out of your way to stop it stops the pirates by ... ?seconds? But it also alienates your customers. One time I bought a scan of a "men's Adventure" magazine from the 50s from someone claiming to be the legitimate rights holder. PDF was locked so couldn't save text, make screenshot - and had to enter a password EVERY time. That made me sure want (NOT) to buy again from them.
Also there is software by big companies - let's talk about one I think Earns it... Both in very good software worth a good high price tag but also earns my ire for annoying protections.
Pixologic aka Zbrush. I paid for them and have a legit copy. That means whenever I change computers (usually after a bricking) I have to try to 'retrieve' my 'license' because a computer that bricks doesn't give you fair warning to uninstall/deactivate. Also some upgrades, like windows sudden mandatory shut computer down middle of the night trigger that lock... A recent vacation I strolled through the streets of India and saw cracked versions of it that my local contacts assured would work (lots of work outsourced to them, beats hiring an American/European who took classes, etc.) - $35. Locked out so no upgrades of course, but isn't that a STEAL!? Jeebuz - and whenever I switch computers even not related to a crash it's a WEEK of evenings to uninstall, de-activate and re-register all my dozens of main programs...(real warez enthusiast here) Since in RL I'm a "Good Boy" all those few minutes or longer of activation, verification, number/password retrieval add up even with files and checklists... And if I had cracked ware I hadn't paid for it'd ALL work with a single overnight of "Restore from copy" main file...
I won't say, I can't say if I was in Pixologic's shoes I'd not do levels of encryption/copy-protection to try to stop casual theft/copying of the software. But it really jabbed me - a grateful customer who used a full tax return and money he could scrape aside years ago as soon as he could afford it to buy a full copy of the software. Like getting poked in the eye... Again, I don't blame them and despite my anger did not buy one of those street vendor copies - even though worried one of these days after a Microsoft "Upgrade" or the next sudden crash they'll say "Sorry, we've decided..." and I face buying it again or months or more of 'appeals'...
I've decided I want someone who BUYS my stuff to be able to project my comics from a neural implant into his toaster or on the wall of his capsule hotel 30 years from now without having to try to retrieve a license of a card sale that far back, likely a legacy of 10 companies minimum. And even though there will be some sharing it does turn into advertising. Note also Drive thru site puts hidden watermarks into the pdf files they sell - live individual watermarks... including hidden ones. Its a way of long term tracking that doesn't violate privacy but does leave a trail if someone 'shares' stuff they shouldn't. Don't know if Renderotica has the software to do it with theirs though.