Patreon Stops Asking AI Bots Not to Scrape — and Starts Blocking Them

Patreon is teaming up with Cloudflare to actively block AI bots that scrape content from its platform without permission. Previously, Patreon relied on the robots.txt file, which is a polite request for bots not to access certain content, but this new approach will actively prevent unauthorized scraping. This move comes as more creators express concern over their work being used to train AI models without their consent.

This change matters because it directly impacts creators who rely on Patreon to share their work and monetize it. Unauthorized scraping can lead to AI models generating content that mimics a creator's style, potentially devaluing their original work. By blocking these bots, Patreon is taking a stand to protect the rights and livelihoods of its creators.

If you're a creator on Patreon, you can check your account settings to ensure your content is protected. Look for updates from Patreon on how they're implementing these new security measures and consider enabling additional privacy settings to safeguard your work.