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Google removes visible watermark with ease, a warning to content creators

Rekted

google_ai_watermark_example_1.png

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The team behind the watermark-removal algorithm was able to train software with enough public examples to identify watermark patterns and then, through a process called “multi-image matting,” separate the watermark’s components from the rest of the image. Then, because the software understands the elements of the watermark like its opacity, structure, and shadow or color gradient effects, Google’s algorithm is able to remove it from any photo containing that specific watermark or a similar one.

 

Pretty cool if you ask me
If Google can do this, I think someone out there can do it too and it'd be a nightmare for stock photo sites
But there's a fix to this according to Google

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To fix this, and create stronger copyright protections for images on the web, the team suggests adding elements of specific randomness to the watermark. However, you can’t simply change the location, or make changes to the opacity of the watermark

google_ai_watermark_example_2.jpg

 

 

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/18/16162108/google-research-algorithm-watermark-removal-photo-protection

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what the algorithem left behind with the randomly altered one seems like it would take seconds to clean up in PS

I spent $2500 on building my PC and all i do with it is play no games atm & watch anime at 1080p(finally) watch YT and write essays...  nothing, it just sits there collecting dust...

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#1. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

#2. It's best to keep your mouth shut; and appear to be stupid, rather than open it and remove all doubt.

#3. There is nothing "wrong" with being wrong. Learning from a mistake can be more valuable than not making one in the first place.

 

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While interesting, this feels a lot more like "well, someone just went and did it".

 

Realistically, they just reverse-engineered the Transform Function with enough comparative data to sort it out. It sounds to me like Google needs to fire a lot more people if they're spending time on this type of stuff.

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The fix is pretty obvious.

Don't ask to ask, just ask... please 🤨

sudo chmod -R 000 /*

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13 hours ago, Erik Sieghart said:

You're missing the point, it wasn't their goal to develop an algorithm that can remove specific types of watermarks. It was their goal to develop an AI that can be trained to remove watermarks. What they did isn't easy by any means, because AI is a relatively new field, and developing something like this takes considerable expertise. And image processing is definitely difficult.

Additionally, this field has applications outside of applying to watermarks, especially for all general image processing AI for recognizing things the same way humans can. Consider, for instance, a stop sign with graffiti on it. We know it's a stop sign, but a self-driving car may not, but with this sort of technology, the image processor knows how to remove the graffiti and identify the stop sign correctly. This makes it a highly worthwhile field of research; if anything they need to hire more people to do this sort of thing. It also aids in identifying images for its search engine. There's tons of applications.

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It's easy to defeat now, but those attempts to defeat it really are just going to make it even better because it's an AI and not a strict algorithm. The AI will learn how to remove the watermark in its entirety one way or another.

Whoa stop right there! You are making way too much sense for this forum.

 

? -> obligatory poop emoji to bring the conversation back down to acceptable level

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