Ctrl Alt Ask Episode 5: Should creators fight back against AI crawlers?
AI crawlers are sweeping the internet and scraping content to train large models leading creators everywhere to ask the same question: should I block them or let them in? In this episode of Ctrl Alt Ask, Raptive’s Chief Growth Officer Marc McCollum breaks down what every creator needs to understand about AI bots, content scraping, and what’s at stake for the future of the open web.
Our guest this week, Nate Hake, founder of Travel Lemming, shares why he’s already made the decision to block AI bots across his site. He explains the impact he’s seen, why he believes creators must unite to demand fair compensation, and what blocking does (and doesn’t) solve. To answer Nate’s question, Steph and Marc delve into the realities behind traffic loss, how AI companies are using creator content today, and what meaningful licensing or compensation could look like as the landscape evolves.
If you publish content online–whether you run a recipe site, travel blog, DIY brand, or niche community–this episode is essential listening. It lays out the legal, strategic, and financial considerations creators should weigh before making a decision about blocking AI crawlers, and what actions creators can take collectively to safeguard their work.
Have a question you want answered on the show? Send it to ctrlaltask@raptive.com. Learn more about the podcast at raptive.com/ctrlaltask.
Related resources
- Why we still recommend blocking AI crawlers
- Cloudflare prioritizes creators and publishers with new AI crawler controls
- When it comes to AI negotiations, publishers are stronger together
- Why ‘Do not scrape’ policies matter more than you think
- Protecting your content from unauthorized use
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