Nowadays, when social networks and online platforms are booming, downloading and using images on the Internet has become too familiar. However, many people are still unclear about image ownership and copyright, especially in the case of arbitrarily removing watermarks for use in posts, advertisements or designs. Is this action considered a violation of the law? Let’s find out more in the following article with VCD.
1. What is a watermark and what does it mean?
Watermark, also known as copyright mark, is a form of symbol, logo, author’s name or text inserted directly onto images, videos, or digital documents to show the intellectual property rights of the creator. This can be a blurred symbol in the corner of the photo, or a prominent text displayed on the photo, depending on how the author wants to protect his work.
Adding a watermark is not only for “decoration” but also an effective way to protect copyright, especially in the context of images being shared widely on social networks and online platforms.
The main purpose of watermark is:
- Affirming copyright: Watermark helps prove who created or owns the image, avoiding cases where others claim or copy it illegally.
- Preventing unauthorized copying, editing, and use: When an image is watermarked, it becomes more difficult to delete or edit, thereby limiting content theft.
- Helping viewers identify the origin of the work: Thanks to watermark, Internet users can easily know where the photo comes from, who created it, and from there can find the official source if they want to use it legally.
Watermark is a “shield” to protect content creators, helping them maintain intellectual property rights to their works in the online environment. This is also a reminder for image users to respect creative efforts and comply with copyright regulations.
2. Does removing watermarks violate copyright?
According to the Vietnamese Intellectual Property Law, any act of arbitrarily deleting, blurring or editing copyright management information, including watermarks, signatures, logos or any other identifying marks is considered a violation of copyright, unless there is written permission from the author or legal owner.
This action can lead to the following legal consequences:
- Administrative fines of 15 – 35 million VND (according to Decree 17/2023/ND-CP).
- Forced removal or destruction of all infringing copies.
- If using photos with watermarks removed for commercial purposes such as advertising, design, printing or sales, the violator can also be sued in civil proceedings and must compensate the copyright owner for damages.
Thus, “removing the watermark for beauty” seems harmless but in fact is a serious copyright infringement, which can cause you to face many unnecessary legal risks.
3. When is it allowed to use watermarked photos?
Although watermarks are considered a sign of ownership, not in all cases are you prohibited from using watermarked images. There are still legal exceptions that allow use, provided that you comply with the regulations and rights of the author. Specifically, you can use watermarked photos in the following cases:
- When explicitly permitted by the owner: If you want to use a watermarked image, the safest and most legal way is to ask for permission directly from the author or copyright holder. Some owners may allow free use if you clearly state the source, but others require a fee to grant legal use rights. This is how many businesses, agencies and professional content creators often apply to ensure that they do not violate copyright laws.
- Images licensed under Creative Commons (CC): Many authors are willing to share their works through Creative Commons (CC) licenses. For example, CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA… Some licenses allow others to edit, distribute or reuse images, even for commercial purposes, as long as they comply with the accompanying conditions (e.g., credit the author, do not misuse…).
- Images in the public domain: Images that have expired copyright protection or have been actively put into the public domain by the author will no longer be bound by copyright law. In this case, you can freely use them, including editing or removing the watermark if any, without asking for permission. However, to ensure the credibility of the content, you should still carefully check the source of the image to make sure it is really in the Public Domain.
- Use for non-commercial illustration purposes: In some special cases, you can use watermarked images for non-commercial purposes, such as: Illustrations in academic articles, research reports, citations of images in lectures, educational materials, inclusion in news articles with clear notes about the origin. However, although considered “fair use” in some contexts, asking for permission in advance is always encouraged to avoid unwanted disputes later.
Above is the article “Is removing watermarks for use a violation of copyright?” VCD sent to you. Hopefully, these shares will help you better understand the image copyright regulations and know how to use the content legally and correctly.
Sincerely,