Proof is step one. The takedown is the point.

Why proof matters more than suspicion

Hosts, marketplaces, and ad platforms receive enormous volumes of complaints. They will not remove content because you feel certain it is yours. They act on evidence: a clear, verifiable demonstration that the image belongs to you and that the other party has no right to it. Without that, your request is one unverified claim against another.

This is the gap most "protection" tools ignore. Stopping right-click or stamping a logo does nothing for the moment that actually counts, which is when you need to prove ownership to a third party who has never heard of you.

What a Chain of Proof certificate gives you

When Tilkie detects your watermark in an image, it generates a Chain of Proof certificate. It is a dated, technical ownership document designed to be taken seriously by the people who process takedowns. Each certificate records:

• The detected watermark and your store's unique identifier
• Image hashes, detection date, and a confidence score
• Full image details such as resolution, format, and file size
• A QR code that links to a matching copy of the document, so it can be independently verified

The takedown paths

The same certificate supports several routes, depending on where your image turns up:

• DMCA notices to web hosts and search engines for sites that republish your photos.
• Marketplace complaints on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay, which run their own intellectual-property processes.
• Ad-platform reports when your imagery is used in competitors' paid ads.

When to bring in specialists

Some infringers ignore a first notice, hide behind privacy services, or repeat the theft as soon as one listing comes down. For these cases, Tilkie partners with IP-protection specialists who handle targeted takedowns and have a strong track record with stubborn and repeat offenders. You bring the proof. They press the case.