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Image copyright protection

KIIK uses several layers to protect heritage images. We state honestly what each layer can and cannot do.

01

Watermarked previews

All public previews are low-resolution + visibly watermarked. The full-resolution master file is stored outside the web root and released only after a licence is purchased.

02

Copy deterrents

Right-click, drag, select & save-image are disabled; the Print Screen key is cleared; content is hidden when the window loses focus.

03

Invisible watermark

An invisible ownership signature (DCT) is embedded in the pixels. It survives screenshots & re-saving, and can be detected again to prove the source.

Honest limits

We do not promise the impossible. The technical facts:

  • Screenshots cannot be blocked 100% on the web — no browser can block the system Print Screen key, screen-capture tools, or a phone camera pointed at the screen. Layer 02 is a deterrent, not an absolute barrier.
  • No watermark is truly "AI-proof". Our invisible watermark makes clean removal difficult — attempts to strip it tend to damage the image — and it remains detectable after a screenshot. This is a robust defence, not an absolute guarantee.
  • The real strength = detection + provenance. Because the signature is embedded in the pixels, even if someone takes a screenshot we can still detect the KIIK mark and identify the source image — see the watermark checker tool.

Measured robustness (demo)

Internal testing of the invisible watermark:

Copy / JPEG recompress

Detected — ~86% confidence.

Screenshot downscaled (800px)

Detected — ~67% confidence.

Screenshot upscaled (1600px)

Detected — ~81% confidence.

Image without watermark

Correctly rejected — ~50% (random).

Try the watermark checker →