potentially to stop bad actors from poisoning datasets by just adding the filter to real pictures?

might be easier to strip it?

The fact that they have to keep this closed source is a giant red flag. It means that you can copy it or strip it if you have the knowledge.

I'm not all that worried about stripping it (I'm sure that's trivial).

The problem that I am worried about is that it can be copied (I'd bet $20 that's trivial, too). People WILL put this on images so that they can be "discredited".