#WordPress site removal process

[techcofinds]

[bengesko]

AI Sellout

Used an email mask to read the whole article, pasting it below the cut.

Quick important points:

The tweet content is a list of things that are currently included, but were not SUPPOSED TO BE, and engineers are working to scrub it.

Automattic is supposedly going to add an opt out option.

Automattic did not respond to a question from 404 Media about whether it could guarantee that people who opt out will have their data deleted retroactively.

Tumblr and Wordpress are preparing to sell user data to Midjourney and OpenAI, according to a source with internal knowledge about the deals and internal documentation referring to the deals. 

The exact types of data from each platform going to each company are not spelled out in documentation we’ve reviewed, but internal communications reviewed by 404 Media make clear that deals between Automattic, the platforms’ parent company, and OpenAI and Midjourney are imminent.

The internal documentation details a messy and controversial process within Tumblr itself. One internal post made by Cyle Gage, a product manager at Tumblr, states that a query made to prepare data for OpenAI and Midjourney compiled a huge number of user posts that it wasn’t supposed to. It is not clear from Gage’s post whether this data has already been sent to OpenAI and Midjourney, or whether Gage was detailing a process for scrubbing the data before it was to be sent. 

Gage wrote:

“the way the data was queried for the initial data dump to Midjourney/OpenAI means we compiled a list of all tumblr’s public post content between 2014 and 2023, but also unfortunately it included, and should not have included:

private posts on public blogs

posts on deleted or suspended blogs

unanswered asks (normally these are not public until they’re answered)

private answers (these only show up to the receiver and are not public)

posts that are marked ‘explicit’ / NSFW / ‘mature’ by our more modern standards (this may not be a big deal, I don’t know)

content from premium partner blogs (special brand blogs like Apple’s former music blog, for example, who spent money with us on an ad campaign) that may have creative that doesn’t belong to us, and we don’t have the rights to share with this-parties; this one is kinda unknown to me, what deals are in place historically and what they should prevent us from doing.”

Gage’s post makes clear that engineers are working on compiling a list of post IDs that should not have been included, and that password-protected posts, DMs, and media flagged as CSAM and other community guidelines violations were not included.

Automattic plans to launch a new setting on Wednesday that will allow users to opt-out of data sharing with third parties, including AI companies, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, and internal documents. A new FAQ section we reviewed is titled “What happens when you opt out?” states that “If you opt out from the start, we will block crawlers from accessing your content by adding your site on a disallowed list. If you change your mind later, we also plan to update any partners about people who newly opt-out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training.” 

404 Media has asked Automattic how it accidentally compiled data that it shouldn’t share, and whether any of that content was shared with OpenAI, but did not immediately hear back from the company. 404 Media asked Automattic about an imminent deal with Midjourney last week but did not hear back then, either.

Another internal document shows that, on February 23, an employee asked in a staff-only thread, “Do we have assurances that if a user opts out of their data being shared with third parties that our existing data partners will be notified of such a change and remove their data?”

Andrew Spittle, Automattic’s head of AI replied: “We will notify existing partners on a regular basis about anyone who's opted out since the last time we provided a list. I want this to be an ongoing process where we regularly advocate for past content to be excluded based on current preferences. We will ask that content be deleted and removed from any future training runs. I believe partners will honor this based on our conversations with them to this point. I don't think they gain much overall by retaining it.” Automattic did not respond to a question from 404 Media about whether it could guarantee that people who opt out will have their data deleted retroactively.

News about a deal between Tumblr and Midjourney has been rumored and speculated about on Tumblr for the last week. Someone claiming to be a former Tumblr employee announced in a Tumblr blog post that the platform was working on a deal with Midjourney, and the rumor made it onto Blind, an app for verified employees of companies to anonymously discuss their jobs. 404 Media has seen the Blind posts, in which what seems like an Automattic employee says, “I'm not sure why some of you are getting worked up or worried about this. It's totally legal, and sharing it publicly is perfectly fine since it's right there in the terms & conditions. So, go ahead and spread the word as much as you can with your friends and tech journalists, it's totally fine.”

Separately, 404 Media viewed a public, now-deleted post by Gage, the product manager, where he said that he was deleting all of his images off of Tumblr, and would be putting them on his personal website. A still-live post says, “i've deleted my photography from tumblr and will be moving it slowly but surely over to cylegage.com, which i'm building into a photography portfolio that i can control end-to-end.” At one point last week, his personal website had a specific note stating that he did not consent to AI scraping of his images. Gage’s original post has been deleted, and his website is now a blank page that just reads “Cyle.” Gage did not respond to a request for comment from 404 Media. 

Several online platforms have made similar deals with AI companies recently, including Reddit, which entered into an AI content licensing deal with Google and said in its SEC filing last week that it’s “in the early stages of monetizing [its] user base” by training AI on users’ posts. Last year, Shutterstock signed a six year deal with OpenAI to provide training data.

OpenAI and Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment. 

[smellslikebot]

"how do I keep my art from being scraped for AI from now on?"

if you post images online, there's no 100% guaranteed way to prevent this, and you can probably assume that there's no need to remove/edit existing content. you might contest this as a matter of data privacy and workers' rights, but you might also be looking for smaller, more immediate actions to take.

...so I made this list! I can't vouch for the effectiveness of all of these, but I wanted to compile as many options as possible so you can decide what's best for you.

Discouraging data scraping and "opting out"

robots.txt - This is a file placed in a website's home directory to "ask" web crawlers not to access certain parts of a site. If you have your own website, you can edit this yourself, or you can check which crawlers a site disallows by adding /robots.txt at the end of the URL. This article has instructions for blocking some bots that scrape data for AI.

HTML metadata - DeviantArt (i know) has proposed the "noai" and "noimageai" meta tags for opting images out of machine learning datasets, while Mojeek proposed "noml". To use all three, you'd put the following in your webpages' headers:

<meta name="robots" content="noai, noimageai, noml">

Have I Been Trained? - A tool by Spawning to search for images in the LAION-5B and LAION-400M datasets and opt your images and web domain out of future model training. Spawning claims that Stability AI and Hugging Face have agreed to respect these opt-outs. Try searching for usernames!

Kudurru - A tool by Spawning (currently a Wordpress plugin) in closed beta that purportedly blocks/redirects AI scrapers from your website. I don't know much about how this one works.

ai.txt - Similar to robots.txt. A new type of permissions file for AI training proposed by Spawning.

ArtShield Watermarker - Web-based tool to add Stable Diffusion's "invisible watermark" to images, which may cause an image to be recognized as AI-generated and excluded from data scraping and/or model training. Source available on GitHub. Doesn't seem to have updated/posted on social media since last year.

Image processing... things

these are popular now, but there seems to be some confusion regarding the goal of these tools; these aren't meant to "kill" AI art, and they won't affect existing models. they won't magically guarantee full protection, so you probably shouldn't loudly announce that you're using them to try to bait AI users into responding

Glaze - UChicago's tool to add "adversarial noise" to art to disrupt style mimicry. Devs recommend glazing pictures last. Runs on Windows and Mac (Nvidia GPU required)

WebGlaze - Free browser-based Glaze service for those who can't run Glaze locally. Request an invite by following their instructions.

Mist - Another adversarial noise tool, by Psyker Group. Runs on Windows and Linux (Nvidia GPU required) or on web with a Google Colab Notebook.

Nightshade - UChicago's tool to distort AI's recognition of features and "poison" datasets, with the goal of making it inconvenient to use images scraped without consent. The guide recommends that you do not disclose whether your art is nightshaded. Nightshade chooses a tag that's relevant to your image. You should use this word in the image's caption/alt text when you post the image online. This means the alt text will accurately describe what's in the image-- there is no reason to ever write false/mismatched alt text!!! Runs on Windows and Mac (Nvidia GPU required)

Sanative AI - Web-based "anti-AI watermark"-- maybe comparable to Glaze and Mist. I can't find much about this one except that they won a "Responsible AI Challenge" hosted by Mozilla last year.

Just Add A Regular Watermark - It doesn't take a lot of processing power to add a watermark, so why not? Try adding complexities like warping, changes in color/opacity, and blurring to make it more annoying for an AI (or human) to remove. You could even try testing your watermark against an AI watermark remover. (the privacy policy claims that they don't keep or otherwise use your images, but use your own judgment)

given that energy consumption was the focus of some AI art criticism, I'm not sure if the benefits of these GPU-intensive tools outweigh the cost, and I'd like to know more about that. in any case, I thought that people writing alt text/image descriptions more often would've been a neat side effect of Nightshade being used, so I hope to see more of that in the future, at least!

[stjohnstarling]

Full text of article as follows:

Tumblr and Wordpress are preparing to sell user data to Midjourney and OpenAI, according to a source with internal knowledge about the deals and internal documentation referring to the deals. 

The exact types of data from each platform going to each company are not spelled out in documentation we’ve reviewed, but internal communications reviewed by 404 Media make clear that deals between Automattic, the platforms’ parent company, and OpenAI and Midjourney are imminent.

The internal documentation details a messy and controversial process within Tumblr itself. One internal post made by Cyle Gage, a product manager at Tumblr, states that a query made to prepare data for OpenAI and Midjourney compiled a huge number of user posts that it wasn’t supposed to. It is not clear from Gage’s post whether this data has already been sent to OpenAI and Midjourney, or whether Gage was detailing a process for scrubbing the data before it was to be sent. 

Gage wrote: 

“the way the data was queried for the initial data dump to Midjourney/OpenAI means we compiled a list of all tumblr’s public post content between 2014 and 2023, but also unfortunately it included, and should not have included:

private posts on public blogs

posts on deleted or suspended blogs

unanswered asks (normally these are not public until they’re answered)

private answers (these only show up to the receiver and are not public)

posts that are marked ‘explicit’ / NSFW / ‘mature’ by our more modern standards (this may not be a big deal, I don’t know)

content from premium partner blogs (special brand blogs like Apple’s former music blog, for example, who spent money with us on an ad campaign) that may have creative that doesn’t belong to us, and we don’t have the rights to share with this-parties; this one is kinda unknown to me, what deals are in place historically and what they should prevent us from doing.”

Gage’s post makes clear that engineers are working on compiling a list of post IDs that should not have been included, and that password-protected posts, DMs, and media flagged as CSAM and other community guidelines violations were not included.

Automattic plans to launch a new setting on Wednesday that will allow users to opt-out of data sharing with third parties, including AI companies, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, and internal documents. A new FAQ section we reviewed is titled “What happens when you opt out?” states that “If you opt out from the start, we will block crawlers from accessing your content by adding your site on a disallowed list. If you change your mind later, we also plan to update any partners about people who newly opt-out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training.” 

404 Media has asked Automattic how it accidentally compiled data that it shouldn’t share, and whether any of that content was shared with OpenAI. 404 Media asked Automattic about an imminent deal with Midjourney last week but did not hear back then, either. Instead of answering direct questions about these deals and the compiling of user data, Automattic sent a statement, which it posted publicly after this story was published, titled "Protecting User Choice." In it, Automattic promises that it's blocked AI crawlers from scraping its sites. The statement says, "We are also working directly with select AI companies as long as their plans align with what our community cares about: attribution, opt-outs, and control. Our partnerships will respect all opt-out settings. We also plan to take that a step further and regularly update any partners about people who newly opt out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training."

Another internal document shows that, on February 23, an employee asked in a staff-only thread, “Do we have assurances that if a user opts out of their data being shared with third parties that our existing data partners will be notified of such a change and remove their data?”

Andrew Spittle, Automattic’s head of AI replied: “We will notify existing partners on a regular basis about anyone who's opted out since the last time we provided a list. I want this to be an ongoing process where we regularly advocate for past content to be excluded based on current preferences. We will ask that content be deleted and removed from any future training runs. I believepartners will honor this based on our conversations with them to this point. I don't think they gain much overall by retaining it.” Automattic did not respond to a question from 404 Media about whether it could guarantee that people who opt out will have their data deleted retroactively.

News about a deal between Tumblr and Midjourney has been rumored and speculated about on Tumblr for the last week. Someone claiming to be a former Tumblr employee announced in a Tumblr blog post that the platform was working on a deal with Midjourney, and the rumor made it onto Blind, an app for verified employees of companies to anonymously discuss their jobs. 404 Media has seen the Blind posts, in which what seems like an Automattic employee says, “I'm not sure why some of you are getting worked up or worried about this. It's totally legal, and sharing it publicly is perfectly fine since it's right there in the terms & conditions. So, go ahead and spread the word as much as you can with your friends and tech journalists, it's totally fine.”

Separately, 404 Media viewed a public, now-deleted post by Gage, the product manager, where he said that he was deleting all of his images off of Tumblr, and would be putting them on his personal website. A still-live postsays, “i've deleted my photography from tumblr and will be moving it slowly but surely over to cylegage.com, which i'm building into a photography portfolio that i can control end-to-end.” At one point last week, his personal website had a specific note stating that he did not consent to AI scraping of his images. Gage’s original post has been deleted, and his website is now a blank page that just reads “Cyle.” Gage did not respond to a request for comment from 404 Media. 

Several online platforms have made similar deals with AI companies recently, including Reddit, which entered into an AI content licensing deal with Google and said in its SEC filing last week that it’s “in the early stages of monetizing [its] user base” by training AI on users’ posts. Last year, Shutterstock signed a six year deal with OpenAI to provide training data.

OpenAI and Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment. 

Updated 4:05 p.m. EST with a statement from Automattic.

[thoughtportal]

Tumblr and Wordpress are preparing to sell user data to Midjourney and OpenAI, according to a source with internal knowledge about the deals and internal documentation referring to the deals. 

The exact types of data from each platform going to each company are not spelled out in documentation we’ve reviewed, but internal communications reviewed by 404 Media make clear that deals between Automattic, the platforms’ parent company, and OpenAI and Midjourney are imminent.

The internal documentation details a messy and controversial process within Tumblr itself. One internal post made by Cyle Gage, a product manager at Tumblr, states that a query made to prepare data for OpenAI and Midjourney compiled a huge number of user posts that it wasn’t supposed to. It is not clear from Gage’s post whether this data has already been sent to OpenAI and Midjourney, or whether Gage was detailing a process for scrubbing the data before it was to be sent. 

Gage wrote:

“the way the data was queried for the initial data dump to Midjourney/OpenAI means we compiled a list of all tumblr’s public post content between 2014 and 2023, but also unfortunately it included, and should not have included:

private posts on public blogs

posts on deleted or suspended blogs

unanswered asks (normally these are not public until they’re answered)

private answers (these only show up to the receiver and are not public)

posts that are marked ‘explicit’ / NSFW / ‘mature’ by our more modern standards (this may not be a big deal, I don’t know)

content from premium partner blogs (special brand blogs like Apple’s former music blog, for example, who spent money with us on an ad campaign) that may have creative that doesn’t belong to us, and we don’t have the rights to share with this-parties; this one is kinda unknown to me, what deals are in place historically and what they should prevent us from doing.”

Gage’s post makes clear that engineers are working on compiling a list of post IDs that should not have been included, and that password-protected posts, DMs, and media flagged as CSAM and other community guidelines violations were not included.

Automattic plans to launch a new setting on Wednesday that will allow users to opt-out of data sharing with third parties, including AI companies, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, and internal documents. A new FAQ section we reviewed is titled “What happens when you opt out?” states that “If you opt out from the start, we will block crawlers from accessing your content by adding your site on a disallowed list. If you change your mind later, we also plan to update any partners about people who newly opt-out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training.” 

404 Media has asked Automattic how it accidentally compiled data that it shouldn’t share, and whether any of that content was shared with OpenAI, but did not immediately hear back from the company. 404 Media asked Automattic about an imminent deal with Midjourney last week but did not hear back then, either.

Another internal document shows that, on February 23, an employee asked in a staff-only thread, “Do we have assurances that if a user opts out of their data being shared with third parties that our existing data partners will be notified of such a change and remove their data?”

Andrew Spittle, Automattic’s head of AI replied: “We will notify existing partners on a regular basis about anyone who's opted out since the last time we provided a list. I want this to be an ongoing process where we regularly advocate for past content to be excluded based on current preferences. We will ask that content be deleted and removed from any future training runs. I believe partners will honor this based on our conversations with them to this point. I don't think they gain much overall by retaining it.” Automattic did not respond to a question from 404 Media about whether it could guarantee that people who opt out will have their data deleted retroactively.

News about a deal between Tumblr and Midjourney has been rumored and speculated about on Tumblr for the last week. Someone claiming to be a former Tumblr employee announced in a Tumblr blog post that the platform was working on a deal with Midjourney, and the rumor made it onto Blind, an app for verified employees of companies to anonymously discuss their jobs. 404 Media has seen the Blind posts, in which what seems like an Automattic employee says, “I'm not sure why some of you are getting worked up or worried about this. It's totally legal, and sharing it publicly is perfectly fine since it's right there in the terms & conditions. So, go ahead and spread the word as much as you can with your friends and tech journalists, it's totally fine.”

Separately, 404 Media viewed a public, now-deleted post by Gage, the product manager, where he said that he was deleting all of his images off of Tumblr, and would be putting them on his personal website. A still-live post says, “i've deleted my photography from tumblr and will be moving it slowly but surely over to cylegage.com, which i'm building into a photography portfolio that i can control end-to-end.” At one point last week, his personal website had a specific note stating that he did not consent to AI scraping of his images. Gage’s original post has been deleted, and his website is now a blank page that just reads “Cyle.” Gage did not respond to a request for comment from 404 Media. 

Several online platforms have made similar deals with AI companies recently, including Reddit, which entered into an AI content licensing deal with Google and said in its SEC filing last week that it’s “in the early stages of monetizing [its] user base” by training AI on users’ posts. Last year, Shutterstock signed a six year deal with OpenAI to provide training data.

OpenAI and Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment. 

[tofueggnoodles]

My Drama CD translation workflow

The first Drama CD I ever translated is One-Day Store Manager. That was in July 2022, nearly two years ago. Until recently, the workflow was simple, at least on the surface. I listened and either typed out the first thing that came to mind or looked up what I heard in jisho. If the sentence was long and complicated, I would listen to it at half-speed a few times, transcribed it into romaji and tried to figure out the translation as I stared at the transcription. Obviously, it was a slow and painstaking process.

During the past few years, rapid progress has been made in the fields of machine transcription and translation. Even back in 2022, I had the nagging feeling that things could be sped up.

Last April, I finally did it. After scouring the world wide web, I cobbled up some python scripts to do a couple of things.

1. Automatic transcriptions from mp3 files. Yep. This removes the major pain in the neck. However, as they say in computer science, garbage in garbage out (GIGO). The quality of the transcription depends on the audio quality of the mp3 file, of course. The amount of corrections I have to make is correlated to the bitrate. If the quality is good, I only have to correct about five percent of the transcription.

2. Automatic translation. Not so great, but it takes away the hassle of translating simple sentences and stock expressions. It is equivalent to copying and pasting into Google Translate site, but in bulk. Again, the GIGO principle applies. Hence the importance of making sure the Japanese text makes sense in the first place.

I will use a short scene from Kyouka Suigetsu to demonstrate the advantages and the pitfalls of automation in Japanese to English translation.

The speech to text output is a chunk of text, sans punctuation and indication of who is speaking. The script is particularly bad at transcribing our guy’s names. Hakkai is either eight floor, destruction, eight times or Bajie. (The last is not technically wrong, though.)

Here is how the translation looks like. Of course, it is also a chunk of text.

Here is the edited transcription. I corrected the obvious mistakes and indicated who is speaking at the beginning of their lines.

Again, GIGO. The output of machine translation this time is much better. It is not perfect, but I find it so much easier to re-translate with the Japanese text just below each line.

Still, the fact that even the automatic translation from the automatic transcription makes more sense than a translation made by a human being nearly twenty years ago is a testament to how far the transcription and translation technologies have come. The fears expressed by some professional translators are far from unfounded.

The day Google Translate matches a human translation more than ninety-five percent of the time is the day yet another job becomes obsolete thanks to AI. (Yes, I’m quite pessimistic about this. Why are we letting AI do all the fun stuff [art, writing, translation] and none of the soul-crushing or dangerous jobs?)

Advertisement: I made a wordpress blog for putting my BL Drama CD translations. If you happen to be a BL Drama CD fan, you can compare my manual translation to the one using this semi-automated workflow (ongoing, first disc completed).

[davepaste]

Full Article Under Cut

Tumblr and Wordpress are preparing to sell user data to Midjourney and OpenAI, according to a source with internal knowledge about the deals and internal documentation referring to the deals.

The exact types of data from each platform going to each company are not spelled out in documentation we’ve reviewed, but internal communications reviewed by 404 Media make clear that deals between Automattic, the platforms’ parent company, and OpenAI and Midjourney are imminent.

The internal documentation details a messy and controversial process within Tumblr itself. One internal post made by Cyle Gage, a product manager at Tumblr, states that a query made to prepare data for OpenAI and Midjourney compiled a huge number of user posts that it wasn’t supposed to. It is not clear from Gage’s post whether this data has already been sent to OpenAI and Midjourney, or whether Gage was detailing a process for scrubbing the data before it was to be sent.

Gage wrote:

“the way the data was queried for the initial data dump to Midjourney/OpenAI means we compiled a list of all tumblr’s public post content between 2014 and 2023, but also unfortunately it included, and should not have included:

private posts on public blogs

unanswered asks (normally these are not public until they’re answered)

posts on deleted or suspended blogs

private answers (these only show up to the receiver and are not public)

posts that are marked ‘explicit’ / NSFW / ‘mature’ by our more modern standards (this may not be a big deal, I don’t know)

content from premium partner blogs (special brand blogs like Apple’s former music blog, for example, who spent money with us on an ad campaign) that may have creative that doesn’t belong to us, and we don’t have the rights to share with this-parties; this one is kinda unknown to me, what deals are in place historically and what they should prevent us from doing.”

Gage’s post makes clear that engineers are working on compiling a list of post IDs that should not have been included, and that password-protected posts, DMs, and media flagged as CSAM and other community guidelines violations were not included.

Automattic plans to launch a new setting on Wednesday that will allow users to opt-out of data sharing with third parties, including AI companies, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, and internal documents. A new FAQ section we reviewed is titled “What happens when you opt out?” states that “If you opt out from the start, we will block crawlers from accessing your content by adding your site on a disallowed list. If you change your mind later, we also plan to update any partners about people who newly opt-out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training.”

404 Media has asked Automattic how it accidentally compiled data that it shouldn’t share, and whether any of that content was shared with OpenAI, but did not immediately hear back from the company. 404 Media asked Automattic about an imminent deal with Midjourney last week but did not hear back then, either.

Another internal document shows that, on February 23, an employee asked in a staff-only thread, “Do we have assurances that if a user opts out of their data being shared with third parties that our existing data partners will be notified of such a change and remove their data?”

Andrew Spittle, Automattic’s head of AI replied: “We will notify existing partners on a regular basis about anyone who's opted out since the last time we provided a list. I want this to be an ongoing process where we regularly advocate for past content to be excluded based on current preferences. We will ask that content be deleted and removed from any future training runs. I believe partners will honor this based on our conversations with them to this point. I don't think they gain much overall by retaining it.” Automattic did not respond to a question from 404 Media about whether it could guarantee that people who opt out will have their data deleted retroactively.

News about a deal between Tumblr and Midjourney has been rumored and speculated about on Tumblr for the last week. Someone claiming to be a former Tumblr employee announced in a Tumblr blog post that the platform was working on a deal with Midjourney, and the rumor made it onto Blind, an app for verified employees of companies to anonymously discuss their jobs. 404 Media has seen the Blind posts, in which what seems like an Automattic employee says, “I'm not sure why some of you are getting worked up or worried about this. It's totally legal, and sharing it publicly is perfectly fine since it's right there in the terms & conditions. So, go ahead and spread the word as much as you can with your friends and tech journalists, it's totally fine.”

Separately, 404 Media viewed a public, now-deleted post by Gage, the product manager, where he said that he was deleting all of his images off of Tumblr, and would be putting them on his personal website. A still-live post says, “i've deleted my photography from tumblr and will be moving it slowly but surely over to cylegage.com, which i'm building into a photography portfolio that i can control end-to-end.” At one point last week, his personal website had a specific note stating that he did not consent to AI scraping of his images. Gage’s original post has been deleted, and his website is now a blank page that just reads “Cyle.” Gage did not respond to a request for comment from 404 Media.

Several online platforms have made similar deals with AI companies recently, including Reddit, which entered into an AI content licensing deal with Google and said in its SEC filing last week that it’s “in the early stages of monetizing [its] user base” by training AI on users’ posts. Last year, Shutterstock signed a six year deal with OpenAI to provide training data.

OpenAI and Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment.

[digitalcreativeage]

How can you prevent your WordPress platform from cyber attack.

WordPress is a CMS-based web development tool. This open-source platform provides easy and high-performing app development of online shopping apps, banking apps, social media forums and many more. As a result, WordPress is the extensively popular CMS platform. But its popularity has made it overlooked hence threats of cyber-attack are present with the WordPress website. However, vulnerable data of a WordPress website can easily be targeted but there are various ways, through which you can prevent your valuable web platform. The top 10 ways in this regard are underneath:-

Add CDN-level firewall

Undoubtedly, not only WordPress but website designed using any platform is open to attack from bots and other nefarious actors. An overloaded server can crash and become inoperable as a result of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) assault. CDN-level firewall adds an extra degree of protection by seeing and removing questionable traffic before it reaches the server. By doing this, you can defend your website against bot and DDoS attacks.

Update credentials regularly  

However, updating passwords is a common practice but regular practices of credentials gradations minimize the chances of security threats. Additionally, limitations of login attempts reduce the hackers’ chances to hack the website.

Update the WP version and remove plugins

If you are running an older WP version then it provides the opportunity for the hacker to hamper the vulnerable data. Hence it is advisable to timely update the WP version along with the regular update of the login password.

Block comment section

The comment section of a website is the entry door for hackers to take entry into a website’s source code. Due to the regular lack of moderation in this section, it is simple for hackers to smuggle malicious code into otherwise innocent-looking comments. To prevent your website from cyber-attack you can also block the comment section.

Remove plugins

Plug-ins are one of the most appealing features of a WordPress website that enhances the development process and makes the website SEO and user-friendly. But, since these plugins are pre-defined and can be used anywhere during the development process, as a result, it creates the opportunity for hackers to attack the block of the most vulnerable data. So to prevent WP admin it is good to use least or remove plug-ins from the website.

Auto update on plugins

A simple approach to guarantee that all installed plugins and themes are current is to use WordPress' inbuilt auto-update capability. This is particularly crucial for plugins and themes that deal with private information like credit card numbers or personal records. Auto-updates not only provide security benefits but also make sure that all installed software is compatible with the most recent version of WordPress, increasing the reliability of your website.

Security headers

Cross-site scripting threats are reduced by security headers, which stop malicious code insertion. Additionally, adding them lessens the possibility of malware infecting your website and blocks payload-based attacks. Some security header instances are:-

Referrer regulations.

Secure Transport Protocol over HTTP (HSTS).

a code of content security.

X-Frame choices.

X-Content-Type-Options.

Protection from XSS (cross-site scripting).

If you are unaware of the core of web development then it is good to connect with a Digital creative solutions provider who provides WordPress website security along with end-to-solution of your web development need.

[merlinart]

This tiny blog celebrates Merlin artists, so I hope you'll forgive the interruption of your regularly scheduled artistry-posting to amplify some information related to the above post from @staff.

So let's say an art blog does not want their creations to be used by AI companies. That art blog has opted out of sharing content with third parties as instructed above but, dear reader, is that enough? This mod doesn't think so.

Quotes of note (emphasis my own):

"Engadget emailed Automattic to ask for comment on the report. The company replied with a published statement, claiming, “We will share only public content that’s hosted on WordPress.com and Tumblr from sites that haven’t opted out.” The statement notes that legal regulations don’t currently require AI companies’ web crawlers to abide by users’ opt-out preferences." [...] So, if a Tumblr or WordPress user requests to opt out of AI training, Automattic will allegedly “ask” and “advocate for” their removal. And the company’s AI boss “believes” the AI companies will find it in their best interest to comply “based on our conversations.” (How’s that for reassurance!)

Staff's commentary on "proposed regulations" in their above post is a false flag of security. The fact remains that AI is a vastly unregulated industry -- if you want to protect your work beyond toggling a setting that is in essence asking politely for companies to respect your preferences, you'll want to employ additional mechanisms.

A defensive option is UChicago's Glaze, an application which, put simply, processes your art to protect against style mimicry (it's worth reading at length about the technology and goals on their site). But have you heard? The same team behind Glaze has launched WebGlaze for artists who may not have the computing power to run the full Glaze application or are primarily mobile device creators.

If going on the offensive is more your style, look into Nightshade. Also from UChicago researchers, this application turns your art into visual belladonna for models who'd consume it. From their site:

Nightshade can help deter model trainers who disregard copyrights, opt-out lists, and do-not-scrape/robots.txt directives. It does not rely on the kindness of model trainers, but instead associates a small incremental price on each piece of data scraped and trained without authorization.

For those of you with extra fire around this issue, consider reaching out to your appropriate government representatives or legal bodies to encourage more action on AI regulation.

♥ you all, @merlinart

Hi, Tumblr. It’s Tumblr. We’re working on some things that we want to share with you. 

AI companies are acquiring content across the internet for a variety of purposes in all sorts of ways. There are currently very few regulations giving individuals control over how their content is used by AI platforms. Proposed regulations around the world, like the European Union’s AI Act, would give individuals more control over whether and how their content is utilized by this emerging technology. We support this right regardless of geographic location, so we’re releasing a toggle to opt out of sharing content from your public blogs with third parties, including AI platforms that use this content for model training. We’re also working with partners to ensure you have as much control as possible regarding what content is used.

Here are the important details:

We already discourage AI crawlers from gathering content from Tumblr and will continue to do so, save for those with which we partner. 

We want to represent all of you on Tumblr and ensure that protections are in place for how your content is used. We are committed to making sure our partners respect those decisions.

To opt out of sharing your public blogs’ content with third parties, visit each of your public blogs’ blog settings via the web interface and toggle on the “Prevent third-party sharing” option. 

For instructions on how to opt out using the latest version of the app, please visit this Help Center doc. 

Please note: If you’ve already chosen to discourage search crawling of your blog in your settings, we’ve automatically enabled the “Prevent third-party sharing” option.

If you have concerns, please read through the Help Center doc linked above and contact us via Support if you still have questions.

[biographygen]

9 Best WordPress User Roles Plugins 2024

Discover the top 9 best WordPress user roles plugins 2024. Enhance your website's functionality and user management with our expert recommendations.

Are you trying to find the best user role plugins for WordPress on your website? If so, you're in good hands. WordPress comes with roles that have specific functions on your site by default, including Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. But occasionally, these default roles might not meet the unique requirements of a site. You may wish to designate new roles, give them particular responsibilities, etc. Plugins for WordPress user roles are useful in this situation. To assist you in creating desired user roles with particular capabilities for your website, we have compiled a list of the top nine WordPress user roles plugins in this post. PluginsPricingFree OptionMembers–✓User Role Editor$29/ year✓PublishPress Capabilities$69/ year✓WPFront User Role Editor$89 (Single Site)✓Advanced Access Manager$99/ year✓WP User Manager$149/ year✓LoginWP$49/ year✓Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles–✓Remove Dashboard Access–✓

What are plugins for WordPress User Roles?

The following user roles are available by default in WordPress: Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. Every user role has specific rights. These default roles, though, might not always be appropriate for a site. For instance, you may wish to establish a new position, like developer, with specialized skills like updating core, editing files and dashboards, etc. - Create Custom Roles: Add new user roles with the permissions you want by creating custom roles. - Edit Existing Roles: These allow you to modify the features of the WordPress roles that are already included. - Manage Permissions: Control access to particular areas of the website by managing permissions. - Assign Capabilities: Each role can be given specific capabilities, like editing, plugin management, and post-publishing.

9 Best WordPress User Roles Plugins 2024:

1. Members

One of the greatest WordPress plugins is Members. It makes it simple for site administrators to manage user roles and restrict access. Any desired user role, such as developer, can be readily added to your website in addition to the default one. Additionally, you can give that user additional features based on your needs, like:

- Edit Dashboard - Edit Files - Export - Import - Mnagae Links - Manage Options - Moderate Comments - Read - Unfiltered HTML - Update Core Features: - Role Editor: This plugin simplifies the process of adding, modifying, and removing roles from your website. - Multiple User Roles: With the help of the plugin, you can give a particular user on your website multiple roles. - Clone Roles: An existing role can be used to create a clone. - Shortcodes: Shortcodes to restrict content access. - Private Site: You can make your website private with this plugin. 2. User Role Editor

Another helpful WordPress plugin that lets you add desired roles to your site based on your needs is User Role Editor. For instance, WordPress does not by default offer developer roles (such as Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber) if you require one for your website. - Turn on plugins. - Make users - Remove other people's posts - Remove posts - Take private pages down. Features: - Block Users: With the plugin, you can block specific admins, widgets, and meta boxes for the role (such as the dashboard, posts, pages, and custom post types). - Multisite: This plugin is compatible with all of your multisites. Additionally, you can limit a single site administrator's access to the designated user capabilities. - Multi-Users: With this plugin, you can give a single user on your website several roles. A user can be both an author and an editor at the same time, for instance. 3. PublishPress Capabilities

Another robust WordPress plugin called PublishPress Capabilities lets you control WordPress roles for your website, such as: - Modify user roles - Access permissions - Admin Menus Features: - Gutenberg Editor Post Restrictions: You can limit anything on the Gutenberg or Classic Editor screens with the help of the Gutenberg Editor Post Restrictions feature. - Create and Copy: Any existing WordPress user role can be created or copied using this plugin. Either a single site or a whole multisite network can have these roles added. - WooCommerce Permissions: You can manage WooCommerce orders, products, and coupon permissions with this plugin. - Custom Statuses: You can set, modify, and create custom statuses with this plugin. 4. WPFront user role plugin

Another robust WordPress user role plugin that lets you make new roles for your website is WPFront User Role Editor. In addition, you have the ability to create, modify, or rename roles that already exist. The best part is that you can use the dashboard, posts, media, pages, and comments to add the desired functionality to the newly added user role. Features: - Clone: Any existing role, including administrator, author, contributor, editor, or subscriber, can be cloned using the plugin. - Modify the Default Role: You can modify the default user role using the plugin. - Eliminate Capabilities: It's simple to take away a user's additional capabilities. - Restore Role: You can restore any deleted user roles for your website using this plugin. 5. Advanced Access Manager With the help of the robust WordPress plugin Advanced Access Manager, you can quickly and simply manage the users, roles, and capabilities on your website. Features: - Manage Backend Menu: With the help of this plugin, you can restrict which users or roles on your website have access to the backend menu. - Complete Access Management: For any role, user, or visitor, the plugin provides complete access management. - Support Multiple Roles: With the help of this plugin, you can give a particular user on a website multiple roles. 6. WP User Manager With the help of the free WordPress membership plugin and user profile builder WP User Manager, you can alter the user roles on your website. Custom user registration, editable user profiles, login forms, password recovery, and other features are available with this plugin. Features: - Modify Roles and Capabilities: This plugin facilitates the process of assigning pertinent capabilities and creating new roles. - Role Duplication: You can use this plugin to duplicate any role that already exists, including editor, subscriber, administrator, etc. - Public Profile Page: To allow users to show their data to the public, the plugin provides a public profile page. - Content Restriction: Using this plugin, you can make certain users' access to certain content hidden according to their role or login status. 7. LoginWP One of the greatest WordPress user role plugins for setting redirect rules for particular users (with particular roles) is LoginWP (formerly known as Peter's Login Redirect). Site administrators can easily control where users are redirected based on their individual login, logout, registration, and other actions with this plugin. Features: - Custom Redirects: Admins, subscribers, and other user roles can have their own redirects set up using the plugin. - Redirects for Specific Users: Using their login information, you can designate redirect routes for specific users. - Compatibility: Nearly all WordPress themes and plugins are compatible with the plugin. 8. Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles One of the most potent WordPress plugins is Hide Admin Bar Based on User Roles. It assists you in concealing the admin bar from users according to their roles and site capabilities, including: - Administrator - Editor - Author - Contributor - Subscriber Features: - Hide Admin Bar for Guests: This plugin makes it simple to hide the admin bar on your website for all visitors who are not logged in. - Capabilities Blacklist: You can use this plugin to hide the admin bar based on user capabilities, i.e., manage_options. - User Roles: You can select user roles using the plugin, and for certain user roles, you can hide the admin bar. 9. Remove Dashboard Access Take out the dashboard You can limit which user roles have access to your site's dashboard by using the helpful WordPress user role plugin Access. - Only administrators - Editors and Administrators - Administrators, Editors, and Writers Features: - Redirect URL: You can direct users to particular URLs with the help of this plugin. - User Profile Access: This plugin lets or doesn't let users make changes to their dashboard profiles. - Login Message: This plugin allows you to show users their login messages above the login form. Read the full article

[hostanytimessx]

10 Hidden Features of the Plesk Control Panel You Must Explore

The Plesk Control Panel is one of the most powerful and user-friendly tools for managing your web hosting. While many users are familiar with its basic features, there are plenty of hidden gems that can make your hosting experience even better. If you’re using Hostanytime for your hosting needs, it’s time to dive deeper into the Plesk Control Panel to unlock some of its lesser-known features that can save you time and enhance your web management skills.

1. Easy WordPress Management

Plesk offers a streamlined WordPress Toolkit that allows you to manage multiple WordPress sites from one dashboard. With features like one-click updates, plugin management, and security scans, you can ensure your WordPress websites are always up to date and secure without much effort.

2. Backup and Restore Simplified

The Plesk Control Panel comes with an intuitive backup feature that allows you to schedule automatic backups of your entire server or individual websites. Whether you need to restore your site due to a failure or transfer it to a new server, Plesk makes this process quick and hassle-free.

3. Built-In Security Features

Plesk’s built-in security tools go beyond simple SSL management. It includes features like fail2ban (to protect against brute-force attacks), a robust firewall, and automatic security updates. These can be managed directly from your Plesk dashboard to ensure your server and websites are always secure.

4. Domain and DNS Management

Managing domains and DNS records can be complicated, but with Plesk, it’s a breeze. You can add, modify, or remove DNS records in just a few clicks. This is especially useful for those managing multiple domains on their server.

5. Multi-Server Management

If you're using Hostanytime for multiple hosting accounts, Plesk’s multi-server management feature allows you to manage them all from one control panel. You can centralize tasks like updates, monitoring, and resource management to keep everything running smoothly.

6. Application Installer

The Plesk Control Panel provides access to a wide range of applications through its App Installer. From content management systems to e-commerce platforms, installing software on your server is as simple as a few clicks. No need to worry about complex manual installations—Plesk handles it for you.

7. Email Management Made Easy

Managing email accounts is simple with Plesk. You can create, delete, and manage email addresses, configure spam filters, and set up autoresponders with ease. Additionally, Plesk integrates with popular email services like Google Workspace for seamless email management.

8. Resource Usage Monitoring

Plesk makes it easy to monitor your server’s performance with its built-in resource usage graphs. You can keep track of CPU, RAM, and disk usage directly from your dashboard, which helps you optimize your server’s performance and avoid overages.

9. Git Integration

For developers, Plesk offers seamless Git integration, allowing you to clone repositories, manage branches, and push or pull updates directly from your Plesk interface. This feature is perfect for managing development environments and pushing code updates effortlessly.

10. Mobile App for On-the-Go Management

Did you know Plesk has a mobile app? The app allows you to manage your websites, monitor server health, and access key features from anywhere. Whether you’re traveling or just away from your desk, you can stay on top of your hosting needs with ease.

Conclusion

The Plesk Control Panel is more than just a basic hosting tool. With these 10 hidden features, you can take your website management to the next level. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, exploring these options will make your hosting experience smoother and more efficient. If you're hosting with Hostanytime, you’ll have access to these features, ensuring that managing your server is as easy as possible. Dive into the Plesk Control Panel today and unlock the full potential of your web hosting.

[christinamac1]

Tepco removes [a tiny sceric]of nuclear fuel debris from Fukushima disaster site

The whole process is expected to cost around ¥23 trillion ($149 billion) and take decades to complete. About 880 tons of radioactive material, like melted fuel and metal cladding, are said to be stuck at the bottom of the three reactors at the plant. By Shoko Oda, Bloomberg, Japan Times 7th Nov 2024 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/11/07/japan/tepco-debris-removal-demonstration/ Tokyo…

[korshubudemycoursesblog]

Mastering Google Tag Manager: An Essential Guide for Every Marketer

In today’s digital world, data-driven decisions are the backbone of successful marketing strategies. If you want to maximize your website's performance without getting too technical, Google Tag Manager (GTM) is your new best friend. GTM is a user-friendly tool that helps you manage and deploy various marketing tags (like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and conversion tracking) on your website. This means you can track, analyze, and optimize your marketing campaigns seamlessly—all without needing to touch your website’s code every time.

What is Google Tag Manager, and Why Does It Matter?

Google Tag Manager is a free tag management system (TMS) from Google. Instead of having to rely on a developer each time you want to add tracking codes to your website, you can use GTM to manage all your tags in one place. By adding one GTM container code to your website, you can effortlessly control which tags get fired based on user interactions or specific triggers, such as clicks or page views. This not only speeds up the process but also reduces the risk of breaking your website's code with repetitive, manual changes.

Key Benefits of Using Google Tag Manager

Simplifies Tag ManagementGTM gives marketers independence. No more waiting around for developers to add, remove, or edit tracking codes. Once set up, you can do all the work directly from GTM’s dashboard.

Enhances Site SpeedInstead of loading multiple scripts individually, Google Tag Manager enables you to load all tracking codes asynchronously, which can improve your website’s loading time. Better site speed is crucial for a great user experience and can even help with SEO.

Error Reduction and Debugging ToolsGoogle Tag Manager includes a built-in debugging console. This lets you preview tags in real-time, ensuring everything works as intended before publishing. This is a game-changer for tracking accuracy.

Increased Flexibility with Tag TriggeringYou can set up tags to trigger based on highly specific user actions. Whether it’s someone clicking a certain button, visiting a specific page, or even scrolling to a particular point on a page, GTM’s triggers make it easy to track interactions that matter to your business.

Setting Up Google Tag Manager: The Basics

Ready to get started? Here’s a simplified guide to setting up Google Tag Manager for your website.

Step 1: Create a Google Tag Manager Account

Go to the Google Tag Manager website and create a free account.

Add a new container (representing your website or app) to the account. Each container houses all the tags you’ll use for that property.

Step 2: Install the GTM Container Code on Your Website

After setting up your container, GTM will generate two code snippets. You’ll need to copy these snippets and add them to the HTML of your website—usually in the <head> and <body> sections. If you’re not comfortable doing this, many website platforms like WordPress and Shopify have plugins or integration options to make it easier.

Step 3: Add and Configure Tags in Google Tag Manager

Once your container code is live, head back to GTM’s dashboard to start adding tags. Tags are what allow you to track specific events or metrics. GTM offers templates for common tags, like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and conversion tracking tags for Google Ads.

Click on "New Tag" in the Tags section.

Choose your tag type. For instance, if you want to set up Google Analytics tracking, select that tag type.

Define triggers for your tag. For instance, if you want to track page views, set the trigger as “All Pages.”

Common Use Cases for Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager supports an endless array of tracking scenarios. Here are some of the most popular ways to use it:

1. Tracking Page Views with Google Analytics

Many businesses start with Google Analytics page view tracking. GTM makes it easy to set this up by using a built-in template for Universal Analytics or GA4.

2. Tracking Conversions with Google Ads

Tracking conversions, like form submissions or product purchases, is vital for understanding how effective your advertising campaigns are. GTM allows you to add conversion tracking tags that fire when users complete a desired action, helping you gauge the return on investment (ROI) for your ads.

3. Setting Up Remarketing Tags

Remarketing is an invaluable tool for re-engaging users who’ve visited your website but didn’t convert. GTM makes it easy to add Google Ads remarketing tags or Facebook Pixels so you can retarget users with personalized ads.

4. Tracking Button Clicks or Link Clicks

Interested in understanding which call-to-action buttons or links get the most engagement? GTM’s click triggers allow you to set up tags that fire every time a user clicks a specific element on your website.

Advanced Features to Explore in Google Tag Manager

Once you’re comfortable with GTM basics, you can explore its advanced features to gain even deeper insights.

1. Data Layer

The Data Layer is an invisible layer of code that GTM uses to pull structured data from your website. It can be used to capture more advanced information, like product details in e-commerce, user login status, or customer preferences. This feature is crucial for businesses with complex tracking needs, as it allows you to pull additional data points into GTM without additional coding.

2. Event Tracking

Event tracking in GTM enables you to monitor user interactions that go beyond simple page views. For instance, you can track when users click on specific links, submit forms, play videos, or even scroll to particular points on a page.

3. Cross-Domain Tracking

If your business has multiple domains or subdomains, you may want to track user behavior across these different sites. Cross-domain tracking allows you to connect sessions across domains, which is especially useful for understanding user journeys on complex website structures.

Optimizing Google Tag Manager for Better Performance

While GTM is already designed for speed, there are some practices that can help you keep things running smoothly.

Use Fewer TagsHaving too many tags can slow down your website, so only use the tags that are essential for your tracking needs. Consider combining tags or using custom HTML tags to minimize the number of requests.

Utilize the Built-In Variables and TriggersGTM has a variety of built-in variables and triggers that make it easy to set up new tags. Using these default options can often save you time and reduce the complexity of your GTM setup.

Regularly Test and Debug TagsGTM’s debug mode lets you preview tags before they go live, helping you troubleshoot and ensure everything works as expected. It’s wise to do regular testing, especially when you add new tags or modify existing ones.

Tag Firing PriorityBy default, GTM fires tags asynchronously, but you can adjust the firing priority for specific tags. For example, if you want conversion tracking tags to fire first, you can set them to a higher priority in GTM.

Google Tag Manager and SEO: The Perfect Pair

While Google Tag Manager doesn’t directly influence SEO rankings, it plays a key role in indirectly boosting your SEO efforts. Here’s how:

Enhanced Page Speed: GTM helps optimize page load times by managing asynchronous tag loading, which keeps your website fast and responsive—a factor that impacts SEO.

Accurate Analytics Tracking: With GTM, you can set up advanced tracking for bounce rate, session duration, and other engagement metrics. Having clean data gives you a better sense of user behavior, allowing you to improve user experience—a key SEO factor.

User Behavior Insights: With GTM, you can track deeper user interactions, from scroll depth to form fills, giving you insight into what engages your audience the most. You can then tailor your content and SEO strategy based on these insights.

Google Tag Manager vs. Other Tag Management Systems

GTM is one of the most popular TMS solutions, but it’s not the only option. Competitors include Tealium, Adobe Launch, and Piwik Pro. Here’s a quick comparison:

Tealium offers advanced customization but comes with a steep learning curve and cost.

Adobe Launch is a premium tool integrated with the Adobe ecosystem, making it a good choice for Adobe users.

Piwik Pro offers privacy-focused features but is less versatile than GTM.

For most small to medium-sized businesses, Google Tag Manager is the ideal balance between usability, features, and cost-effectiveness.

Final Thoughts on Google Tag Manager

Learning to navigate Google Tag Manager can revolutionize how you approach marketing analytics. With GTM, you’ll enjoy improved site performance, actionable insights, and the freedom to experiment with different tracking methods without waiting on a developer. From tracking page views to setting up advanced remarketing campaigns, GTM empowers you to make the most of your digital marketing efforts.

By leveraging Google Tag Manager in your business, you’re investing in better data, quicker insights, and more control over how you measure your online success. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned marketer, there’s always something new to learn with GTM—so start experimenting today and unlock the full potential of this powerful tool!

[vanessajohnson3412]

Why are WordPress Theme Customization Services needed?

In today’s competitive digital landscape, standing out is crucial. While WordPress offers a wide range of themes, many businesses seek WordPress theme customization services to make their websites unique, user-friendly, and tailored to their brand identity. Here’s why WordPress customization services are needed to help your website perform at its best.

1. Unique Branding and Visual Appeal

Out-of-the-box themes can be limiting when it comes to showcasing your unique brand. Customization enables you to adjust colors, fonts, layout, and images to match your brand identity. This level of customization ensures that your website stands out from competitors and leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

2. Enhanced Functionality and Features

Themes are often designed with a broad user base in mind, which means they may lack specific features you need. WordPress theme customization services allow you to add custom features and functionalities, such as e-commerce integrations, booking systems, or interactive elements, giving users a tailored experience and driving more engagement.

3. Improved User Experience (UX)

A well-customized WordPress theme prioritizes the user experience, making it easy for visitors to navigate, find information, and interact with the website. Customization allows you to refine the website structure, streamline navigation, and ensure your content is presented effectively. This leads to higher user satisfaction and better retention rates.

4. Optimized Performance

Customized WordPress themes are optimized for performance, which translates to faster loading speeds and smoother interactions. By removing unnecessary features, optimizing code, and compressing images, custom themes help reduce load times, improving both the user experience and search engine rankings.

5. Mobile Responsiveness

With more people browsing on mobile devices, it’s essential to have a website that performs well across all screen sizes. WordPress theme customization services ensure your website is fully responsive, adjusting seamlessly for desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This optimization not only benefits users but also boosts your search engine visibility.

6. Better Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A custom theme allows for fine-tuning SEO elements, such as meta tags, alt texts, and site structure. This optimization helps search engines crawl and index your site more effectively, which can improve your ranking. Customization also lets you focus on elements that enhance visibility, such as keyword-rich headings and well-placed internal links.

7. Scalability for Future Growth

Your website’s needs will evolve over time, and a customized theme can scale with them. Whether you want to add new functionalities or adjust the design as your brand grows, WordPress customization services allow you to make changes without disrupting the site’s core structure.

8. Enhanced Security

Customized themes are less susceptible to common vulnerabilities found in widely-used themes. You can integrate advanced security features during the customization process, safeguarding your site against threats and offering users peace of mind when they interact with your site.

In summary, WordPress theme customization services are essential for businesses looking to create a unique, feature-rich, and user-focused website. From improved branding and functionality to better performance and security, customized themes provide a solid foundation for a high-performing website. If you're ready to elevate your website, explore Vardaam’s WordPress customization services to achieve a site tailored to your needs.

To know more visit: https://vardaam.com/wordpress-themes-and-plugins-development/

[islandwizards]

7 Easy Steps to Make Your WordPress Site Load Faster | Island Wizards

If you're managing a WordPress site, you know how essential it is to have a fast-loading website. Not only does it enhance user experience, but it also improves SEO, reduces bounce rates, and increases conversions. Here are seven practical and easy steps to make your WordPress site load faster. At Island Wizards, we’ve helped many businesses optimize their WordPress websites for peak performance, and now we’re sharing our expert tips with you!

1. Choose a Reliable Hosting Provider

Hosting plays a pivotal role in your website’s speed. Opt for a reputable hosting provider that specializes in WordPress hosting. Look for features like fast server response times, scalability, and solid support. At Island Wizards, we recommend hosting solutions tailored for WordPress, ensuring reliable performance and speed.

2. Optimize Your Images

Large, unoptimized images are often a major culprit in slow-loading websites. Compress your images without compromising quality. Use plugins like Smush or EWWW Image Optimizer to automatically compress and resize images, reducing page load time without sacrificing visuals.

3. Implement Caching

Caching significantly reduces server load, enabling your site to load faster for repeat visitors. Use a caching plugin like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache to store copies of your pages and deliver them faster. Island Wizards highly recommends caching to any client looking to streamline their site’s speed.

4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN distributes your website’s data across multiple servers worldwide, enabling quicker access for visitors from different geographic regions. Services like Cloudflare or StackPath make it easy to integrate a CDN with your WordPress site, improving page speed and overall site performance.

5. Minimize CSS, JavaScript, and HTML

Excessive code and large files can slow down your WordPress site. Use minification tools like Autoptimize or Fast Velocity Minify to compress CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files. This reduces the total page size and speeds up the loading process.

6. Limit Plugins and Regularly Update Them

Plugins are powerful tools, but having too many or outdated plugins can drastically slow down your site. Evaluate your plugins regularly and remove any that are unnecessary. At Island Wizards, we always encourage our clients to use only essential, regularly updated plugins for optimal site performance.

7. Optimize Your Database

Over time, your WordPress database accumulates unused data that can slow down your site. Use database optimization plugins like WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner to clean up your database. This reduces database size and improves speed, helping your site load faster.

Explore more about our website…https://islandwizards.com/services/headless-wordpress/ https://islandwizards.com/blogs/the-best-business-sectors-for-shopify-websites/

[uttomroy]

Website Speed Optimization

Website Speed Optimization

1. Large Image Files

Problem: Large images significantly slow down website loading times.

Solution: Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or convert them to modern formats like WebP. Could you make sure images are properly scaled to fit their display size?

2. Unoptimized CSS and JavaScript

Problem: Bloated CSS and JavaScript files can delay rendering and slow down page speed.

Solution: Minify CSS and JavaScript files to reduce their size and remove unnecessary code. Tools like CSSNano and UglifyJS can help.

3. Slow Server Response Time

Problem: A slow server results in delayed page load times, negatively affecting user experience.

Solution: Choose a reliable hosting provider with optimized servers or upgrade to a dedicated server or VPS for faster response times.

4. Too Many HTTP Requests

Problem: Each file (e.g., CSS, JavaScript, images) requires an HTTP request, and too many requests slow down the loading process.

Solution: Reduce the number of files by combining CSS/JavaScript files and using sprites for images. Enable HTTP/2 for faster simultaneous requests.

5. Excessive Plugins (WordPress)

Problem: Too many plugins, especially poorly coded ones, can slow down a website's speed.

Solution: Deactivate and delete unnecessary plugins, and only use well-optimized, essential ones.

6. No Lazy Loading for Images

Problem: Loading all images at once slows down the initial page load time.

Solution: Implement lazy loading so that images load only when they appear in the user’s viewport. Many frameworks and plugins support this feature.

7. Lack of Mobile Optimization

Problem: Mobile users may experience slower speeds if the site is not optimized for mobile devices.

Solution: Implement responsive design, compress images for mobile, and prioritize mobile-friendly CSS.

the

Uttom Roy

#WebsiteSpeed#SpeedOptimization#PageSpeed

#WebPerformance#SEO#PerformanceOptimization

#WebsitePerformance#FasterWeb#SpeedUpYourSite

#LoadingTime#WordPressSpeed#WebsiteAudit

#WebOptimization#SiteSpeed#GooglePageSpeed#CoreWebVitals#TTFB#ImageOptimization#CSSOptimization

#LazyLoading#MobileOptimization#FastLoading

#OptimizeForSpeed#PageLoad#WebCaching

#HostingPerformance#SpeedTest#WebDesignOptimization#WebDevTips#CoreWebVitals #BoostPerformance

#FastWebsite #WordPressOptimization

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