Users on social media have uncovered a controversial use case for Google’s new Gemini 2.0 Flash model, which appears capable of removing watermarks from images—often from prominent sources such as Getty Images and other major stock media providers.
Last week, Google expanded access to Gemini 2.0 Flash’s image generation feature, which not only creates images from scratch but also allows for native editing of existing image content. While the feature is labeled “experimental” and “not for production use,” it has quickly drawn attention for its ability to remove watermarks by intelligently filling in the gaps left behind. Users on platforms like X and Reddit have demonstrated that the model can erase watermarks, effectively reconstructing the underlying image.
Despite similar functionalities available in other AI-powered tools, Gemini 2.0 Flash appears to perform exceptionally well at this task—and notably, it is free to use via Google’s developer-facing tools such as AI Studio. However, the model is not without limitations; it struggles with semi-transparent watermarks and those that cover large portions of an image.
The ease with which Gemini 2.0 Flash can remove watermarks has raised concerns among copyright holders. Unlike Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet or OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which explicitly refuse to remove watermarks and warn that doing so is “unethical and potentially illegal,” Google’s Gemini model currently lacks strict usage restrictions in this area.
As the debate over digital content protection continues, copyright advocates warn that unrestricted access to such powerful editing capabilities may lead to increased infringement and misuse of copyrighted material, further complicating the legal landscape for content creators. Meanwhile, developers and users are left to navigate the fine line between innovation and ethical use of emerging AI technologies.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday formally ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, in a major foreign policy reversal th...
Türkiye will host the 2026 NATO leaders summit in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Monday, saying the country is preparing the gro...
Two Azerbaijani brothers killed in a Russian security raid in Yekaterinburg are being returned home, sparking outrage and urgent calls for justice ami...
After a brief stint at Aston Villa, Marcus Rashford is heading back to Manchester United as the club opts against triggering his £40 million buy clau...
Over the past year, 162 asteroids flew closer to Earth than the Moon. NASA and ESA warn only 40% of dangerous objects have been identified, with one a...
Germany’s data protection commissioner has called on Apple and Google to block the Chinese AI app DeepSeek from their platforms over illegal data transfers and privacy concerns.
Britain’s competition regulator may force Google to rank businesses more fairly in search results and provide consumers with alternative services, using new powers to regulate tech giants.
Google announced a new “AI Mode” for its search engine in the United States, aiming to make searching feel more like talking to an expert who can answer almost any question.
Mexico is suing Google for disregarding repeated requests to stop referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users on Google Maps.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
Two Azerbaijani brothers killed in a Russian security raid in Yekaterinburg are being returned home, sparking outrage and urgent calls for justice amid allegations of abuse and ethnic profiling.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will not attend the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Foreign Ministers Council scheduled for Monday in Kyrgyzstan, according to a statement from Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.
Chinese mining giant Zijin Mining is set to acquire Kazakhstan’s Raihorodok gold deposit for $1.2 billion, a move that will transfer control of RG Gold and could significantly boost Kazakhstan’s annual gold production, pending regulatory approval.
The Kremlin on Sunday voiced regret over Azerbaijan's reaction to the recent arrests of several Azerbaijani nationals in Russia’s Yekaterinburg region, after a controversial police operation tied to a decades-old criminal case sparked diplomatic tension between the two countries.
Armenia says it is ready to discuss the place and date for signing a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, according to Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment