[Solved] Is Removing Watermark Illegal?How to Remove Legally (2024)

Many apps and software enforce a watermark on their product to restore their authenticity. Still, most of the time, to derive your preferred results, many opt for other sources to remove a watermark to maintain their video' s originality.

But Is Removing Watermarks Illegal? Let' s find out.

As per the US copyright act, section 1202, removing a watermark without the official owner's consent is illegal. According to the law,

• Intentionally removing a watermark without the owner' s consent is absolutely unacceptable.
• One is not allowed to make any amends to a product that initially belongs to someone else without their permission.
• The accused will have to reimburse the owner for the damage along with extra charges if found guilty.
• As per the law, the amount could go up to 25,000 dollars for the reimbursem*nt.

Most of the time, users don't give it much thought while removing a watermark, but removing it intentionally can really land you in hot waters without prior knowledge.

Part 1: What Is A Watermark, And Why Is It Needed

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A watermark is an essential source to avoid any kind of copyright infringement of a video or picture. Along with that, enforcing a watermark invites many other perks as well like:

Great Source of Promotion

Watermarks are a great source of promotion as if a video or a photo has been edited really well and it also entails the name of the tool used to edit; then it will definitely draw many eyes towards the brand.

Prevents Unlawful Usage

Watermarks cause a lot of hassle for people trying to extract their desired results by theft or via breaching the license authorized by the initial owner. They are the perfect resort to avoid illicit usage and exploitation of photos and videos.

Claims Ownership

If a video or photo possesses a watermark, it could get quite arduous to remove it as a watermark is enforced on a piece of content to restore ownership back to its rightful owner. This way, chances of thievery and unlawful use of content go down by a massive number.

Prohibits Web Scrapping

Web scraping is a common practice for stealing content off of different websites and making it your own, but the presence of a watermark prevents content theft and avoids web scrapping in the best way possible.

In current times, everyone has access to almost everything. Technology has given power and unlawful access to people who can easily damage a company's reputation by exploiting its content. Hence, imposing a watermark on a piece of content that could be exposed to any sort of damage can turn out to be beneficial for the company's name in the market. It is also a great form of branding and promotion for software companies that help develop content on a daily basis.

Hence, watermarks are a dire need of every company nowadays to avoid any sort of damage to the company's content and character in the market space.

Part 2: Safe Methods to Remove Watermark on PC

Even though It Is Illegal To Remove A Watermark without proper awareness but with adequate knowledge and appropriate tools, you could get the job done safely without any issue with the help of a few methods mentioned below:

Method 1: iMyFone MarkGo

This software has to be the best on the list as it doesn't require any hard and fast rules to access it, nor does it require its users to go out of their way to unlock their favourite features. iMyFone MarkGo is the best when it comes to bringing your vision to life. This tool is the most simple to access yet the most proficient at its job. Just install the software, tag it to your taskbar and let it handle the rest.

Method 2: Inpaint

Inpaint is a great online watermark removing tool that removes the watermark from a photo or video and enhances it in a way that it's ready for publication on the internet. This tool helps you channel your inner artist and lets you illustrate your videos however you like. All you have to do is just upload the content that needs editing, make changes to it, save it to your computer, and you're done.

Method 3: Adobe Photoshop

This tool is the most popular all around the world due to its elaborative features and easy access. This software doesn’t require the internet to operate and works just fine, even offline. In order to unlock many other advanced features, users would have to pay a little extra to get their video/ picture edited perfectly. This software possesses some complicated features that you'd need an expert to work for, but nonetheless, it's the perfect tool for all your needs regarding editing, creating and illustrating.

Part 3: Frequently Asked Questions - Is It Illegal To Remove A Watermark

Is removing watermark illegal?

Even though some might not consider removing watermarks a big deal, but it is definitely illegal for most companies.

What happens if you remove a watermark from a photo?

After removing a watermark, the edited picture will get deleted asap due to intense modification of the original content.

Is removing a watermark illegal in US?

Yes. As per the US copyright act, section 1202, removing a watermark without the official owner’s consent is illegal.

Are you allowed to use stock photos with watermarks?

No. Using stock photos for your own use is thievery, and the photographer or the rightful owner of the photos can sue you for copyright infringement.

Conclusion

It might be Illegal To Remove Watermark From A Photo or video, but with correct tools like iMyFone Mark Go, one can prevent many future inconveniences. Such tool is perfect for anyone who's got a knack for editing and producing as it adheres to every requirement of a creator and generates the most amazing results. So, if you're someone who's looking to put their editing skills at work, iMyFone Mark Go is the perfect resort.