What do you call it when links are not selectable?

    October 9th, 2023

    LOOSE NOTES

    Annoyed, I asked on Twitter/X: [What do you call it when links are not selectable? Google’s Bard “Search related topics” links appear (to me, maybe PEBKAC?) to not be selectable. I can right click and open in a new window. But I cannot select and copy the text, even if I drag from outside the area. Hostile?]

    This is re the “related-search-footer” that only appears after the “Double-check response” button has been clicked.

    Non-selectable? Unselectable?

    YouChat[]

    …It is not necessarily considered hostile, but it can be frustrating for users who want to copy or interact with the link in a different way. In some cases, websites may disable the ability to select or copy links to protect their content or prevent unauthorized use. However, it is generally considered good practice to allow users to easily interact with and copy links on a website.

    Phind

    …the term you used, “Hostile”, could be seen as a subjective judgement. From a user experience perspective, some might find it inconvenient or frustrating not to select and copy text directly…