AI tools that remove watermarks from school photographs are raising concerns about unpaid use and children’s privacy, according to people interviewed by the BBC. The account describes a practical clash: a quick edit may save a purchase, but it can involve uploading identifiable children’s images to a service whose handling of them may be unclear.
Watch Desk analysis
What happened
Photographer Ian Gilbert told the BBC that parents had discussed using AI to remove watermarks from preview images, and said he had noticed screenshots being sent to AI tools. He charges from £9 for photographs. Other photographers described similar experiences, including Dylan Evans, who said a football photo he had taken was shared with its watermark removed.
Gilbert called taking the images without paying “theft”. That is his characterisation, not a legal finding. The BBC also quotes computer science lecturer Dr Simon Thorne warning that, depending on the service, users may have limited information about how long an uploaded image is kept, how it is processed or whether it is reused. The report gives no evidence that any particular service retained or misused the photos.
Why it matters
This is not only a dispute over a watermark. An identifiable picture of a child can include other children too, whose parents may not know it has been uploaded. At the same time, families can face affordability pressures, while photographers say unpaid copying threatens their income. Those concerns deserve more than a tidy “just don’t do it”: the choice involves privacy, consent and the value of creative work.
Our read
Before uploading a child’s photograph to remove a watermark or make an edit, check the service’s terms and image-handling settings, and consider whether the picture includes other children. If you want the photograph, buying it supports the person who made it. A tool making the shortcut easy does not make the trade-offs disappear.
What to watch
- Whether photographers’ organisations offer practical guidance on protecting preview images.
- Whether image-editing services explain clearly how uploaded children’s photos are stored and used.
- Whether photographers and schools find ways to keep professional images affordable.
Discussion spark: Should AI tools that remove watermarks from school photos be treated mainly as a privacy risk, an unpaid-use problem, or both?
Sources and evidence
- Sustainable fashion project secures £850k funding – BBC (9 October 2026, 05:24 UTC)
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