AMC Networks has adopted new technology aimed at preventing shows like “The Walking Dead” from being consumed by hordes of Internet pirates before they air on TV. The cable programmer is embedding digital watermarks into episodes of original shows like “Walking Dead,” “Better Call Saul” and “Humans” at its New York production and distribution facilities, using a system from Civolution’s NexGuard. Now, if AMC content turns up on piracy sites, those watermarks will let the company trace the source of the copies. The new system doesn’t actually prevent video content from being illegally copied and shared online. Instead, AMC is betting the watermarks will reduce the chance that shows will be leaked from international distributors and their subcontractors, who perform post-production services like in-language dubbing on episodes — by being able to pinpoint which partner was responsible. “It is paramount for us to protect our assets when they are at their most valuable,” Steve Pontillo, AMC’s chief technology officer, said in a prepared statement. “This enhanced content security is a powerful deterrent against piracy and protects our revenue and that of our distribution partners.”…