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Just reading the thread about NWFA ads being copied to Gunbroker and thinking this might be a way to protect members here. If a NWFA watermark was applied to every picture posted in the classifieds it would head a lot of this off.
 
Can a watermark be defeated? I'm not really tech savvy, but was thinking that a smart scammer could find a work around to a watermark.
I think that would be possible via editing. For example, use an editing program to erase area with watermark, then fill in missing area by matching with adjacent chunks of background. This is how a pro photographer might remove a telephone pole from a photo meant to convey wilderness, for example. However, it would then mean every photo would be a sophisticated editing job instead of a quick act of easy thievery. So the watermark may not make thievery impossible, but probably would make it much less practical.
 
Can a watermark be defeated? I'm not really tech savvy, but was thinking that a smart scammer could find a work around to a watermark.

Yes. Easily.

There's a tool called "healing brush" in photo editors that allows one to use colors and patterns from various areas of an image to paint over another. The software then blends the result. In the early days, the blending was pretty crappy and one had to painstakingly correct bleeding. Now, the software is much better.

Like @OldBroad44 said: the same tool that lets me remove a background distraction from an otherwise great portrait is the same tool that a scammer would use.

Most people using watermarks also don't want to obscure the image, so it becomes very easy to simply crop out the mark.

But, we're in a position where scamming is easy and if your images require work, the scammer is likely to move on. And *that* is the goal.
 
But, we're in a position where scamming is easy and if your images require work, the scammer is likely to move on. And *that* is the goal.
Exactly.

It's the same concept as "The Club" and other security devices for automobiles.

Can it be defeated? Absolutely.
Is the thief likely to move on to an easier target? Yep!
 
over in my fav ham-radio forum "The 'Zed", they (used to) insist one include a pic with your callsign written on something.

i.e. 741355332612298.jpg

not much different than the recommended above with the NWFA username. not fool-proof, but puts off all but the seriously committed.

later, perhaps wisely, Fred removed that requirement. but now you have to be a subscribing member to post ads.

seems fair enuff to me. someone committed to participating VS "item sold, i'm outta here."

 

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