You're sharing a research report you don't want pasted into a competitor's deck. PDF can disable text copying. The recipient can read but not select-and-copy. As a deterrent it's useful; as enforcement it has gaps.
Setting copy restrictions
When you encrypt a PDF with Flint's password tool, add an owner password and disable text copying as part of the permissions. Compliant readers (Acrobat, Preview, Edge, Chrome) honour the restriction — text selection is disabled.
The recipient can still read; they just can't select-and-paste.
What it doesn't prevent
Screenshots and OCR: a screenshot of the page, run through OCR, extracts the text in seconds. Modern phone cameras even do this in real time.
Strip-restriction tools: free utilities remove copy restrictions in seconds for files without an open password.
Non-compliant viewers: some third-party readers ignore copy restrictions entirely.
Copy restriction discourages but doesn't enforce.
When it's worth doing
For ordinary commercial material, copy restriction is good hygiene — recipients won't accidentally paste sensitive content into a chat. For high-stakes material, layer with watermarks (so any extracted content carries the recipient's identity) and consider hosted viewers.
FAQ
Will copy restrictions break accessibility tools?
Yes potentially — screen readers may need to access text. Use the 'no copy except for accessibility' setting where available.
Does Flint produce copy-restricted PDFs?
Yes — the password tool sets copy restriction as part of owner-password permissions.
Can a counterparty refuse a copy-restricted document?
They can ask for an unrestricted version. For collaborative drafting, copy restriction is friction; for final delivery, it's reasonable.
What about images in the PDF?
Same principle — copy restriction prevents the image being extracted normally. Screenshots still work.
Copy restriction is a soft deterrent. Set it in Flint and don't expect it to stop a determined extractor.