Digital watermarks are increasingly gaining popularity as a simple way of adding an extra layer of security to video and OTT content. While they are easy to apply, they take a lot of time and skill to be removed, making illegal content distribution all the more difficult. Watermarks are essentially generated with the help of a JSON string describing how and what will be overlaid on protected videos.

Unlike static watermarks, which are fixed once the videos are released, dynamic watermarks can be updated in real time on all platforms where the video has been released. This gives the content owner an option to change the watermarks in future or even remove them entirely and strengthen the security of DRM protected content further. For example, if the logo, website, or image reference for the video ever changes, the watermarks can be updated on individual videos or the entire asset collection, depending on the content creator’s requirement. The watermark information can also be displayed in a different language based on the location in which the content is being viewed. Dynamic video watermarking algorithms can modify watermarking techniques and provide advanced protection against all attempts to pirate on live and streaming platforms. They also allow content creators to randomly change the position of the watermark while the video is being played, rendering it useless for the user to record the video and resize the screen. The frequency of the changing position can also be changed dynamically.

Dynamic watermarking helps you embed a non-removable watermark, which could also include user-identifying information, such as email address, date and time of viewing, IP address, the creator’s brand logo, etc., on the video asset during playback at the user’s end. As they change based on different factors when opened (user information, etc.), they provide additional security to confidential content that is not meant to be shared or altered. Dynamic watermarking is also being used to activate DAI (dynamic ad insertion) to maximize addressable advertising revenue. While watermarks are not restrictive enough on their own, combined with other DRM video protection measures, they can secure the content owner’s intellectual property and be helpful in tracing the source of any possible infringement through identifiable information. They also remind users of the content’s copyright and usage rights.