Secure client watermark

A method comprising:

• at a client device including a processor and a non-transitory memory:
• requesting from a server an authorization to render a media content item, including requesting from the server a renewal of the authorization to render the media content upon determining current time is within a threshold from an expiration time associated with the authorization;
• generating a watermark and embedding the watermark into the media content item;
• capturing an image of rendering the media content item including the watermark;
• and
• sending to the server one or more of at least a portion of the image and metadata associated with the image, including sending one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata along with the request for the renewal of the authorization, wherein one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata are used by the server to validate the watermark and renew the authorization based on the validation.

A system comprising:

• a client device including a first processor, a first non-transitory memory, and one or more first programs stored in the first non-transitory memory, which, when executed by the first processor, cause the client device to:
• request from a server an authorization to render a media content item, including requesting from the server a renewal of the authorization to render the media content upon determining current time is within a threshold from an expiration time associated with the authorization;
• generate a watermark and embedding the watermark into the media content item;
• capture an image of rendering the media content item including the watermark;
• and
• send to the server one or more of at least a portion of the image and metadata associated with the image, including sending one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata along with the request for the renewal of the authorization, wherein one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata are used by the server to validate the watermark and renew the authorization based on the validation;
• and
• the server, communicatively coupled to the client device, including a second processor, a second non-transitory memory, and one or more second programs stored in the second non-transitory memory, which, when executed by the second processor, cause the server to:
• receive the request for the authorization to render the media content item at the client device, wherein the request includes the renewal of the authorization to render the media content;
• obtain one or more of at least the portion of the image including the watermark and the metadata associated with rendering the media content item at the client device, wherein the watermark is embedded into the media content item by the client device and the image is a screen capture of rendering the media content item at the client device, and one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata are received from the client device along with the request for the renewal of the authorization;
• validate the watermark based at least in part on one or more of at least the portion of the image and the metadata;
• and
• cause disruption of rendering the media content item at the client device in accordance with invalidating the watermark.