How to block Alexa and similar web services from accessing website?

@ervin.williamson 

To block Alexa and similar web services from accessing your website, you can use the robots.txt file. The robots.txt file is a standard used by webmasters to communicate with web robots and crawlers, including those used by Alexa and other web services.

Here are the steps to block Alexa and similar web services from accessing your website:

1. Create a robots.txt file if you do not already have one. This file should be placed in the root directory of your website.
2. Add the following lines to the robots.txt file:

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User-agent: ia_archiver
Disallow: /

User-agent: *
Disallow: /cgi-bin/
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Disallow: /wp-includes/
Disallow: /wp-content/plugins/
Disallow: /wp-content/cache/
Disallow: /wp-content/themes/
Disallow: /trackback/
Disallow: /comments/
Disallow: */trackback/
Disallow: */comments/

The first set of lines will block the Internet Archive Wayback Machine crawler, which is often used by Alexa. The second set of lines will block common directories and pages that web crawlers should not access.

1. Save the robots.txt file and upload it to the root directory of your website.

By adding these lines to your robots.txt file, you can prevent Alexa and other web services from accessing certain areas of your website. However, note that some web crawlers may ignore the directives in your robots.txt file, so this method is not foolproof.

@ervin.williamson 

It's important to note that while the suggestions above can help block certain web services like Alexa, it's not guaranteed to completely prevent them from accessing your website. Web services can still choose to ignore the directives in the robots.txt file. Additionally, there are many other web services and crawlers that may access your website, and it might not be practical to block all of them individually.

If you're looking for a more comprehensive solution to restrict access to your website, you could consider implementing other measures such as:

1. IP Address Restrictions: You can configure your web server to only allow access from specific IP addresses or IP ranges. This can help limit access to your website to trusted sources.
2. Captcha or Human Verification: Implementing a captcha or requiring human verification can help ensure that only real users can access your website, rather than automated bots or web services.
3. Membership or Login System: Implementing a membership or login system can provide an added layer of control over who can access your website. By requiring users to create an account and log in, you can restrict access to authorized individuals.
4. Firewall or Intrusion Prevention System: Utilizing a firewall or intrusion prevention system can help block unwanted traffic and protect your website from malicious access attempts.

Keep in mind that implementing these measures may have other implications on your website's accessibility, user experience, and SEO. It's always recommended to consult with a professional or web developer before making significant changes to your website's access restrictions.