Short answer: On 11 November 2026 the artist _-Milo-_ posted screenshots of a direct-message conversation on VGen, captioned “never doing adopts again,” and the post passed 3 million views. In the screenshots a buyer asks for about US$30 off a fixed-price adoptable, the artist offers US$10 and then US$15 off, and the buyer replies that they used Gemini to remove the watermark and asks whether they can keep the character now. We have not verified the buyer or the conversation, and other artists in the replies said they suspected it was staged. What artists can control is the paper trail: keep the unwatermarked original, a dated copy of each listing, and the terms of sale, so a watermark-stripped copy can be matched to your file. A TimeBind dates the files you hold. It does not stop anyone removing a watermark.
Last checked 13 November 2026. General information for illustrators, VTuber artists and anyone selling adoptable characters or commissions, not legal advice. This page reports what the posts and screenshots show. We cannot verify who the buyer was or that the conversation happened as shown, and some replies said they doubted it.
Table of Contents
What the screenshots show
The post from _-Milo-_ (@_mXiLoX_), on 11 November 2026, has two images. The first shows a VGen listing titled “Shiba Inu Latte Art Waitress,” marked “1 of a kind,” and a message from a buyer asking whether there is a way to offer a lower price. The artist replies that it is a fixed price and offers US$10 off. The buyer asks for about US$30 off, and the artist offers US$15 off as a last offer.
The second image shows a copy of the artwork pasted into the chat, which we cannot confirm was altered, followed by a message from the buyer that reads, in part: “i used gemini to remove ur watermark, can i keep her now?” We cannot see what happened after that, and the post does not say.
The post is a claim by one account, and screenshots can be edited or staged. A reply from @tsabico (12 November, 94,268 impressions) said it was calling the story fake until the poster exposed the buyer, and another reply thought the buyer could not be real. We are not taking a side on that, and we are not saying the buyer or the artist is telling the truth.
Why this matters to artists who sell adopts, commissions or prints
Whether or not this exchange happened as shown, the underlying risk is one artists describe often: a visible watermark is a deterrent, not a lock, and image tools can now remove or paint over it. That shifts the weight to your records. If a clean copy appears somewhere you did not agree to, the first questions are usually what the original file is, when it existed, and what the buyer actually paid for.
The same records help in the opposite direction. If a buyer says they paid or were promised something, a clear listing, price and terms protect the artist too. Keep the dispute about the facts, not the argument online.
Why people are searching for this
Measured on 13 November 2026. The original post (11 November) had 3,102,574 impressions, 76,770 likes, 3,057 reposts, 539 quotes and 5,827 bookmarks. The @tsabico quote-post had 94,268 impressions and 3,403 likes. A reply arguing artists can set whatever price they like, from @NebulaTheSergal, had 1,859 impressions. X’s trending summary on 12 November described the story as one that spotlighted artists’ struggles with easy AI watermark removal. Counts keep moving.
Checklist for artists who sell adopts, commissions or prints
- Keep the unwatermarked master. Store the layered file and the full-resolution export before you add any watermark, and keep both.
- Keep a dated copy of each listing. Save the page or a screenshot of the title, price, terms, tags and images, with the date you posted it.
- Write the terms on the listing. Say what a buyer gets (usage rights, whether the image may be edited, resold or used in AI tools) and that the watermark stays until the sale is complete. Keep a copy of the wording as it was on the day.
- Keep the conversation. Export or screenshot the direct messages, offers and payment receipts together, with dates.
- Use a different file for the public preview. Post a lower-resolution preview, with the full file delivered only after payment.
- Record where a copy appears. If a clean copy turns up, save the URL, date and a screenshot, and keep the original in a separate folder. Do not download or reshare it beyond what you need.
- Use the platform’s report route first. Keep the report text and any reply. See DMCA takedown evidence for your artwork.
- Date your master before you post any preview. Fingerprint the original files before they leave your drive.
What a TimeBind does and does not show
A TimeBind is a dated, checkable record that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. The SHA-256 fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is never uploaded. The record is anchored to Bitcoin (a Merkle root in an OP_RETURN). Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; after that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See how it works.
For an adoptable or commission, it can date your master file and your listing screenshot before you post. It does not show who removed a watermark, does not show that a buyer owes you money, does not stop a copy being made, and does not decide what rights a buyer has. Use it as one dated record next to your terms and the messages.
Limits
This page relies on the screenshots and posts named above and on X’s trending summary. We could not independently verify the buyer or the conversation. We have not seen the artist’s terms of sale for this listing, and we cannot say what the platform’s rules would say about this exchange. Whether removing a watermark breaches a licence or the law depends on the terms and the country, and this is not legal advice.
Tools that can help
Use the bulk SHA-256 manifest to fingerprint a folder of masters and exports, and the file date metadata inspector to see what dates your files carry. For related reading see what artists can keep when a commission is called AI and how to protect your patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Did a buyer really remove a watermark with Gemini?
We cannot tell. The screenshots show a message saying so, but we cannot verify the buyer or that the conversation is genuine, and some replies suspected it was staged.
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Can a watermark stop someone using my art?
No. A watermark discourages casual copying but can be cropped, painted over or removed with image tools, so keep your own records of the original.
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What should an artist keep when selling an adopt?
The unwatermarked master, a dated copy of the listing and terms, the messages and payment receipts, and a note of where any copy appears.
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Can a TimeBind stop a watermark being removed?
No. It shows that exact files existed no later than a recorded time and still match. It does not prevent copying or editing.
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Does a TimeBind prove who owns an adopt?
No. It does not show authorship, ownership or what rights a buyer holds. It dates the files you hold.
Sources checked
- X post by _-Milo-_ (@_mXiLoX_), 11 November 2026, two screenshots of a VGen conversation, https://x.com/_mXiLoX_/status/2120628955182993832 (read 13 November 2026; images viewed)
- X posts by @tsabico (12 November 2026), @bmodoart (12 November 2026) and @NebulaTheSergal (12 November 2026), replying to or quoting that post (read 13 November 2026)
- X trending summary, “Artist Shares Buyer’s AI Watermark Removal Threat in Tense DMs,” updated 12 November 2026 (read 13 November 2026)
Date your master files and listing before you post a preview
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Click here to start, or see plans and pricing.
