Leak Shield and piracy protection
Video watermarking.
Visible, forensic and per-buyer: what each one stops.
A watermark is information added to a video to show where it came from. The word covers three very different things: a logo everyone can see, a hidden signal only software can read, and a hidden signal that is different for every viewer. Only the last one can tell you who leaked a film.
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By uncompressed.io · Updated October 2026
Short answer
What is video watermarking, and which type stops leaks?
Video watermarking adds identifying information to a video. A visible watermark shows a logo, a forensic watermark hides a signal that software can read, and a per-buyer watermark hides a different signal for every viewer, so a leaked copy points to one account. Only the per-buyer kind can name a leaker, and none of them prevents copying on its own.
- Visible: a logo or name drawn over the picture
- Forensic: an invisible signal read by software
- Per-buyer: a forensic mark unique to each viewer
- Only per-buyer marks identify who leaked
- No watermark prevents copying itself
- Leak Shield per-buyer marks: USD 99 a month or USD 1,188 a year
Three kinds
One word, three tools
with very different jobs
Visible watermark
A logo, a title card or a name drawn on top of the picture. Everyone sees it. It brands the video and tells a casual viewer where it came from. It identifies a person only if it displays that person's name or email.
Forensic watermark
A signal hidden in the picture itself, invisible in normal viewing, read by detection software. The same mark goes into every copy, so a recovered copy identifies the film or the release, not the viewer.
Per-buyer watermark
A forensic mark that is different for each buyer or session. A recovered copy carries the identity of the account that played it. This is what turns a leak from anonymous into traceable.
What each one stops
Visible, forensic and per-buyer
side by side
Heavy cropping, scaling, recompression or a camera recording can weaken any mark. Protection reduces risk and makes leaks traceable; it cannot guarantee a film never leaks or that every leak can be traced.
Choosing
Which watermark to use
by what you share
Match the mark to the risk. The more a leak would cost you, the more it matters to know who made it.
Free or promotional video
A small visible logo is enough. You want the copies to spread and to carry your name.
Paid films and memberships
A per-buyer invisible mark. It protects revenue without covering the picture paying fans came for.
Unreleased cuts for reviewers
A visible session watermark plus access control. The Vault plays films in the compatible macOS app with a session watermark.
Contracts that name a vendor
If a distributor requires a specific certified watermark or DRM, use the provider the contract names.
On uncompressed.io, per-buyer marking comes with Leak Shield and applies to films sold or streamed through your streaming platform. Ordinary share links and embeds carry no buyer mark. For pre-release review, see the Vault and the questions to ask in forensic watermarks for screeners.
After the mark
A mark is only useful if someone looks
is where the value is
A watermark does nothing until a copy is found and read. Leak Shield searches the open web and torrent indexes weekly for the first month after release and monthly after. You review each sighting. When you confirm one, the buyer behind that copy is identified and blocked, their membership is cancelled, a takedown notice is sent to the host and a PDF case file is kept.
The takedown notice itself has legal requirements. In the United States, section 512(c)(3) of the copyright law lists what a notice must contain, including a signature, identification of the work and of the copy, and a good-faith statement (read 12 October 2026 on copyright.gov). The DMCA takedown guide walks through each element.
The honest limit
Questions
Frequently asked
What is video watermarking?
Video watermarking is adding identifying information to a video, either as a visible overlay such as a logo or as an invisible signal in the picture, so that a copy can be linked to its source.
What is the difference between a visible and a forensic watermark?
A visible watermark is an overlay anyone can see, such as a logo or a name. A forensic watermark is hidden in the picture, cannot be seen during normal viewing, and is read by software to identify the source of a copy.
What is a per-buyer watermark?
A per-buyer watermark is a forensic mark that is different for every buyer or viewer, so a leaked copy identifies the individual account it came from rather than just the film or the distributor.
Can a watermark be removed?
A visible logo can often be cropped, blurred or covered. A forensic mark is designed to survive normal viewing, recording and re-encoding, but heavy cropping, scaling, recompression or a camera recording can weaken it, so recovery is not guaranteed.
Does watermarking stop people from copying a video?
No. A watermark does not prevent copying. It makes a copy traceable, which deters sharing and lets you act when a copy appears.
How do I add a per-buyer watermark to videos I sell?
On uncompressed.io, turn on Leak Shield for your streaming platform. Every buyer gets their own invisibly marked copy. It costs USD 99 a month or USD 1,188 a year on any paid plan.
Should I put a visible watermark on a film I sell?
Usually a small one at most. Paying viewers dislike large overlays, and pirates crop them. A per-buyer invisible mark protects without covering the picture.
A different invisible mark for every buyer.
Leak Shield gives each buyer their own invisibly marked copy, searches for leaks and sends the takedown, for USD 99 a month or USD 1,188 a year on any paid plan. Protection reduces risk and makes leaks traceable; it cannot guarantee a film never leaks or that every leak can be traced.
Sources
- 1.US Copyright Office: Section 512 of Title 17 (read 12 October 2026)