# zero-width space

An invisible spacing character that this fixture-proven cleanup can remove.

Canonical: https://watermarkslayer.com/supported-artifacts/zero-width-space
Markdown alternate: https://watermarkslayer.com/supported-artifacts/zero-width-space.md
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12

## Registry facts

- Code point or framing: U+200B
- Launch support: supported
- Launch action: remove
- Risk: low
- Explicit writer selection required: yes
- Visible review label: [zero-width space]
- Fixture: fixture_remove_u200b
- Last fixture test: 2026-08-12

## Why it may appear legitimately

It can be inserted by editors, copied rich text, or line-breaking systems without indicating anything about authorship.

- Copied rich text and generated text

## Launch behavior

Registry status: supported. Watermark Slayer can propose a reviewable removal edit only when the writer explicitly selects this supported cleanup.

## What a change could affect

Removing it can change word or line-breaking behavior.

- Removal is offered only as a reviewable edit against the exact source.

## Claim boundary

Finding this artifact says only that the specified code point or framing was observed. It is not an authorship verdict, detector score, or evidence that text came from a particular system.

## Evidence

- [Unicode 17.0 Core Specification, Chapter 5](https://unicode.org/versions/Unicode17.0.0/core-spec/chapter-5/)
- [Unicode 17.0 Core Specification, Chapter 23](https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode17.0.0/core-spec/chapter-23/)