Acquiring copyrighted visual content from platforms like Getty Images typically requires adhering to licensing agreements. Watermarks are intentionally placed on preview images to protect the copyright of the content creators and to incentivize users to purchase legitimate licenses for high-resolution, watermark-free versions. Circumventing these protections to obtain imagery without proper authorization constitutes copyright infringement. An example would be using a third-party tool to remove the Getty Images watermark from a photograph and then using that photograph on a commercial website without paying for a license.
The practice of obtaining visual assets without adhering to licensing terms undermines the creative ecosystem. Copyright laws exist to protect the rights of photographers, illustrators, and other visual artists, ensuring they are compensated for their work. The ability to monetize their creations incentivizes further artistic output. Historically, watermarks have served as a primary method of copyright protection in the digital age. Ignoring these protections devalues the labor and investment required to create high-quality images and videos.
