But digital watermarks may find a legal role that has nothing to do with copyright.

ECONOMIST: In the picture

If digital watermarks can be detected, however as is necessary for them to work at all then it seems inevitable that somebody will be able to find a way of removing them.

ECONOMIST: Digital watermarks

When phase two kicks in, probably next year, music companies will insert digital signatures called "watermarks" into the music files themselves to prevent unauthorized copying.

CNN: Record labels ready to rock the Web