tiny rust spots under tank stickers?

[Rema1000]

Where the Suzuki stickers on my tank are white, you can see maybe a dozen little rust-colored spots under the paint.  Either there have been a bunch of tiny dings, like getting nicked with something sharp, which poked a tiny hole in the clearcoat and rusted; or else they are rusting from the inside.  I can feel a little bump on each rust-colored pinprick; either that is the damage to the paint from the outside, or else it is the "bullseye" bulge from the rust spot coming out.

Any guesses which it is?

[JamesG]

Wierd, perhaps the stickers didn't agree with the paint or the clearcoat?