Hi there, we implemented this as a way for users to protect their resources from being auto-scraped by bots. I don't feel that it's such a great burden to require a site user be logged in to download a resource - accounts are free, there's no buzz cost, it's not like models with this option enabled are paywalled in any way. It's just another tool to allow content creators to protect their work.

@theally There's something deeply ironic about preventing bots from scraping models. but thank you for the response. I don't understand how it protects them if it's still free for anyone to download and distribute. Although I see how it might protect civitai from comptetitors

@theally Quit trying to pretend that you can hide from blackmail inflation.

is thing because we are in a bots world.