Disable data downloads from AGOL StoryMaps (hosted feature layers)

[MosheurRahman]

How can I create a Map Service in AGOL (without having on-premise ArcGIS Enterprise) with the ability for the public to view (and query?) only the data but NOT the ability to download those layers?

Currently, I am creating Hosted Feature Layers in AGOL from ArcGISPro (without having ArcGIS Server). When I share them "Public" and create a publicly available storymap the spatial data becomes downloadable at the other end (thru ArcGIS Desktop). I turned off all the export options in the layer settings but still, it is searchable from ArcGIS Desktop and can be added and exported to a local drive. 

Is there any solution to make a storymap public but disable the ability to download spatial data?

[BernSzukalski]

A good way to handle this is to create a View of the data. The view can have separate properties and permissions, but is inherently based upon the "master" hosted feature layer (so if that is updated, so is the view). So I am thinking your solution will be to create a View to use in the map you use in your story - protecting the source from unintentioned exposure/editing. See: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/manage-data/create-hosted-views.htm

[FCCStrategicPlanningAdmin]

..

[MosheurRahman]

Thank you for your reply. I have in fact created my StoryMap with View Layers. It is helping to stop Editing only in Public (while I can allow my organisation members to edit the same data) but my original problem remains the same. The Spatial data is still searchable and can be added to ArcGIS Desktop and exported to a local drive.

You would not be able to do it from AGOL but if you search ArcGIS Online data from ArcMap/Pro then you can add it to your Data View and export it.

[JerryCarey]

I am having the same issue. We have a proprietary dataset that has ~20,000 points. I am trying to create a Web Application but the only way I can do this is to publish the data which then can be found and downloaded by anyone. Any solutions to this?

[SarahHartholt]

I'm wondering about this too. In the settings of my Feature Layer (hosted, view) I have left the option to Allow others to export to different formats unchecked but am still able to pull the REST endpoint into an ArcPro project, sign out, and export the data to a new feature class. IS it possible to prevent a publicly shared layer from being downloaded/exported?

[JerryCarey]

Right. So for us, using ArcGIS Online and publishing maps is not an option. Anyone can steal our data. I wish there was a way around that. But now I am forced to use other software platforms to publish maps. The out of the box dashboards are really cool but useless if someone can steal my data, which is really easy to do.

[SarahHartholt]

I've created an ArcGIS Online Idea related to this topic here: 

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-online-ideas/prevent-data-download-export-from-agol-public/idi-...

[SarahHartholt]

I'm testing out this method which seems to work: 

How To: Limit access to secured hosted services or map services in ArcGIS Online for public-facing w...