October 28, 2025
Humans only, no AI—yeah, about that
HOPL: The Human Only Public License
No Bots Allowed: ‘Human‑Only’ License Sparks Dev Meltdown
TLDR: A new “Human Only” license aims to block AI from using or reading certain software, claiming legal warnings work better than web do‑not‑crawl notes. Commenters clap back with jokes and doubts, calling it luddite, likely unenforceable, and possibly incompatible with everyday coding tools—yet some welcome a human‑only refuge.
Grab popcorn: a developer just launched the Human Only Public License (HOPL), a bold “no AI allowed” rulebook for software that bans bots from reading the code, using the app, or even pinging a website that runs it. It’s basically MIT‑style permissive but with an anti‑AI forcefield and a pass‑it‑on clause. The author says robots.txt is ignored but licenses make corporate scanners “flash red,” and dropped the full text on GitHub. The internet? Immediately on fire.
The loudest crowd calls it luddite and useless. One critic says an AI could just rewrite the code “enough” to hide its tracks, while legal heavyweights ask the killer question: is any of this enforceable? Another zinger: if AI can’t assist, does HOPL secretly forbid everyday tools like autocomplete? Cue the meme wave about developers going back to Notepad.
There’s also a nerd-fight over wording: one commenter insists the “copyleft” talk is off—this looks more like share‑alike, not classic copyleft with source‑sharing. Others say don’t invent a new license; bolt this onto AGPL (a strict open-source license that even covers network use). Cynics roll their eyes: “armies of lawyers” will steamroll this anyway. Still, some cheer the spirit: a line in the sand for human‑only spaces. Whether HOPL becomes a shield or a meme, the comment section is the arena—and it’s savage.
Key Points
- •HOPL is a new license that restricts software and outputs to human-only use, banning AI involvement.
- •The AI ban covers analysis, direct use, and indirect interactions such as requests to systems using HOPL software.
- •Compliance responsibility lies with AI systems and their users; deployers can signal restrictions via robots.txt.
- •Aside from the anti-AI clause, HOPL is described as permissive like MIT and includes a copyleft clause for derivatives.
- •HOPL Version 1.0 is published on GitHub, and the author invites legal feedback.