On March 24, Colopl introduced the Colopl Contents Protector, a mobile app available on iOS and Android designed to protect images from unauthorized use. This tool aims to help creators safeguard their artwork against the growing prevalence of generative AI, which can exploit publicly shared content for training models without consent.
The app enables users to upload images in formats like JPEG, PNG, and GIF, which are then encrypted to appear heavily blurred and grainy, with only silhouettes visible. Access to the original images is restricted; they can only be viewed by other users of the app. Each image is accompanied by a QR code for unlocking, and users can set passwords for further protection.
Colopl emphasizes that the original images and personal data will not be stored or used for AI training, focusing solely on managing encryption keys. Although the app's effectiveness in preventing unauthorized AI usage is yet to be determined, the company assures that any unauthorized restoration of images could lead to legal actions against infringers.