educational

Tracing Your Content

Watermarking digital content, such as adding your site’s URL to a photo or video clip, has long been a way to establish “ownership” and to (hopefully) drive traffic via type-ins, but these approaches are in need of an update to keep up with the times.

The challenge of our evolving digital landscape, according to forensic watermarking experts Verimatrix (www.verimatrix.com), is that “Managing digital content throughout an ever more complex — yet increasingly compressed — media lifecycle, while attempting to maximize the associated asset monetization, is presenting rights owners with new opportunities as well as threats.”

A range of vendors offers similar forensic watermarking solutions, while some operators prefer to take a more “in your face” approach to fighting piracy with customized watermarking schemes.

Citing the costly loss of control of recorded music distribution, Verimatrix is poised to offer solutions for the motion picture industry and other content owners severely impacted by piracy.

“Worldwide loss of business for … content owners present significant challenges not only to established distribution channels, but now even more so given that content increasingly finds its way beyond the traditional outlets,” the Verimatrix site states. “The media lifecycle is constantly morphing in often unpredictable ways, raising the bar for rights owners and technology providers alike.”

The company’s discrete forensic fingerprinting technology invisibly adds user-unique identifiers to video content at the time of download or streaming, allowing rights holders to trace the source of any unauthorized content distribution back to its original downloader.

A range of vendors offers similar forensic watermarking solutions, while some operators prefer to take a more “in your face” approach to fighting piracy with customized watermarking schemes.

One such effort involves the use of a visible watermark that randomly repositions itself during the video’s playback; for example, going from the bottom left of the screen to the top right, center and then down again. These constantly moving watermarks are intended to thwart the efforts of pirates using masking software to obfuscate the mark — which in at least one operator’s example, does not include the source website’s URL — but the username and IP address of the member that downloaded the clip.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

Sarah Illustrates Spins Chill Vibes Into Viral Fame

Lounging in her sunny SoCal backyard in between content shoots, with her hair swept into a no-fuss ponytail and the sun dappling her shoulders, Sarah Illustrates looks every bit the hot mom next door — because, well, she is. The kind of mom who bakes fresh bread on the weekends, juggles dance recitals and baseball games, and delights in life’s simpler joys, like family time and trips to Target.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

WIA Profile: Lainie Speiser

With her fiery red hair and a laugh that practically hugs you, Lainie Speiser is impossible to miss. Having repped some of adult’s biggest stars during her 30-plus years in the business, the veteran publicist is also a treasure trove of tales dating back to the days when print was king and social media not even a glimmer in the industry’s eye.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Fighting Back Against AI-Fueled Fake Takedown Notices

The digital landscape is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence, and while AI offers immense potential, it’s also being weaponized. One disturbing trend that directly impacts adult businesses is AI-powered “DMCA takedown services” generating a flood of fraudulent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

Andi Avalon Talks Wifey Life and the Joys of Suburban Chaos

Fans crave authenticity. For most adult content creators, this has become gospel. Everybody is looking for “the real deal” — and as it happens, you can’t get much more real than MILF creator-performer Andi Avalon.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

WIA Profile: Salima

When Salima first entered the adult space in her mid-20s, becoming a power player wasn’t even on her radar. She was simply looking to learn. Over the years, however, her instinct for strategy, trust in her teams and commitment to creator-first innovation led her from the trade show floor to the executive suite.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

How the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act Could Impact Adult Businesses

Congress is considering a bill that would change the well-settled definition of obscenity and create extensive new risks for the adult industry. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, makes a mockery of the First Amendment and should be roundly rejected.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What US Sites Need to Know About UK's Online Safety Act

In a high-risk space like the adult industry, overlooking or ignoring ever-changing rules and regulations can cost you dearly. In the United Kingdom, significant change has now arrived in the form of the Online Safety Act — and failure to comply with its requirements could cost merchants millions of dollars in fines.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More