AI watermark removal poses privacy risks for school photos

Photographers and safety experts are warning parents against using artificial intelligence to remove watermarks from school photo proofs. This practice, used to bypass paying for official photographs, is being described by professionals as a form of theft that impacts both photographers and schools, which often receive a portion of the revenue.

Beyond the economic impact, there are significant privacy and security concerns. When identifiable images of children are uploaded to AI tools, the data is shared with third-party services. Experts warn that parents may not realize these companies often retain, process, or use uploaded images to train their models. Users are encouraged to investigate how AI services store data, who has access to it, and whether images can be deleted after use to protect children's digital identities.