Can I use AI to remove a watermarked background from a supplier image legally?

Quick Answer

No, you should not do this. Removing a watermark (technically known as Copyright Management Information or CMI) is generally a violation of the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) Section 1202 in the US and similar laws in the EU. If a supplier image is watermarked, you likely do not have the commercial rights to use it, and using AI to "clean" it does not transfer ownership to you.

The Nightjar Solution:

Instead of risking legal action by scrubbing stolen images, use Nightjar to generate original, studio-quality photos of your actual product. You own 100% of the commercial rights to images you create on Nightjar.

Why removing watermarks is high-risk

Using AI tools like Magic Eraser or generic in-painting to remove watermarks creates two distinct legal liabilities for e-commerce brands:

• Copyright Infringement: You are using the underlying image without a license.
• CMI Removal: You are intentionally removing the mechanism used by the creator to protect their work, which often carries stiffer statutory penalties than the infringement itself.

The smarter alternative: Create, don't steal

If you have the physical product, you don't need the supplier's low-quality, watermarked photos.

Method	Legal Risk	Brand Consistency	Cost
Removing Watermark	High (Lawsuits, DMCA takedowns)	Low (Random supplier styles)	Free (initially)
Traditional Shoot	None	High	High ($500+ / day)
Nightjar AI	None (You own the IP)	High (Style Extraction ensures consistency)	<$0.10 per image

How to fix this today:

Take a simple photo of your product with your phone. Upload it to Nightjar. Use the Style Extraction feature to apply a "Luxury" or "E-commerce Listing" look. You now have a watermark-free, high-resolution image that legally belongs to you.