Legal & Ethics

Question 1

Should I block training crawlers but allow search crawlers?

Accepted Answer

Many site owners do exactly that when supported. OpenAI explicitly distinguishes GPTBot (training) and OAI-SearchBot (search). Anthropic similarly distinguishes training vs user/search bots. This gives you control over how your content is used.

Question 2

Does robots.txt legally prevent usage?

Accepted Answer

Robots.txt is an access directive, not a contract. If you need stronger controls, consider legal terms, licensing, or access gating. Consult legal counsel for specifics about your content and jurisdiction.

Question 3

Can I opt out of crawling without harming SEO?

Accepted Answer

Blocking AI bots is separate from blocking Googlebot/Bingbot. DuckDuckGo states DuckAssistBot opt-out does not impact organic rankings. You can block AI-specific crawlers while maintaining traditional search visibility.

Q1Should I block training crawlers but allow search crawlers?

Q2Does robots.txt legally prevent usage?

Q3Can I opt out of crawling without harming SEO?

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