08-11-2010, 01:19 PM
Digital Watermarking is a data hiding technique where an information or message is hidden inside a signal transparent to the user. This method is used for copyright protection of digital media. Watermarking differs from encryption in a way that in the former case a general user is allowed to access, view and interpret the signal but cannot claim the ownership of the content, whereas in case of encryption the very access to the signal itself is denied. Watermarking is thus more popular than encryption where the content generator wants the general user to enjoy the content but shall not infringe upon the copyright. Digital representation of the signal has made the job of Watermarking easier and cost effective, and thus this technology is already developing very fast among the media industry.