This is the tenth installment of our Tech article series. The goal of this multipart series is to discuss provenance at a high level and provide more technically inclined readers a full dive into how to execute digital provenance. You can find the full list of this series here :
Part 1: What is Provenance and why we need it
Part 2: What is C2PA, Add C2PA easily with Capture
Part 3: Take True Photo with C2PA Watermark from Mobile Phones
Part 4 : Add C2PA easily with Capture API
Part 5 : C2PA for Music and Video Platforms with Capture API
Part 6 : C2PA for Gen-AI company and dev with Capture API part 1
Part 7 : C2PA for Gen-AI company and dev with Capture API part 2
Part 8 : Verify and Browse Content Information
Part 9 : How Numbers complements C2PA with sustainable Blockchain approach
Part 10 : You are here
C2PA + Blockchain : How Tech Helps Authenticate Election News
Introduction
With an unprecedented number of individuals invoking their democratic rights in elections, 2024 stands to be one of the biggest election years in history and the first election with wide adoption of AI. The emergence and wide adoption of AI makes this year's election cycle particularly contentious as digital media can play a significant role in the decision making of voters. Add generative AI to the picture and we have a breeding ground for misinformation.
The challenge of providing authentic and reliable information is a daunting challenge that Numbers Protocol has decided to tackle in collaboration with Starling Lab, notable News Outlets, and journalists starting with the Taiwan 2024 election project utilizing its blockchain-based data provenance solution.
Taiwan 2024 election leverages established provenance standards such as the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) and Numbers Protocol blockchain-based provenance solution to create accessible transparent media. As a digital media library, Numbers Protocol indexes all archived election media with a unique id (Nid) that can be called upon to access digital media files on decentralized storage and most importantly provenance records archived on-chain. From untraceable and unverifiable entities to standalone assets capable of “speaking for themselves” through accessible and traceable records, Numbers on-chain provenance records fundamentally change how media is viewed and allows viewers and voters to make informed decisions based on facts.
The success of the Taiwan 2024 election project has led to similar initiatives for Indonesian and Indian elections. Let us dive into the topic further!
The role of Blockchain
Existing metadata standards like IPTC and C2PA are invaluable for establishing the provenance of digital media. However, blockchain registration adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that content history records are immutable and transparent. Once a transaction is written to the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted, guaranteeing the permanent accessibility of records.
Blockchain technology plays a pivotal role in the Taiwan 2024 election project. By registering media files on the blockchain, the project ensures that the provenance and history of each piece of content are verifiable and preserved over time. This immutability provides a robust safeguard against attempts to manipulate or falsify election news.
Products Used in the Project
The Taiwan 2024 election project uses several tools to facilitate the adoption of provenance standards:
- Capture Cam : Available on the App Store and Google Play, this mobile tool allows users to take photos with assured integrity. The ease of access to this tool greatly enhances civic participation in the project.
- Capture Dashboard : This platform enables content owners to manage content and its metadata seamlessly. Journalists and photographers involved in the project can easily manage the content they capture and embed a provenance layer to it.
- Capture Eye : A simple widget that allows users to check and verify image origin with just one click.
- Asset Profile & Verification site : These tools help users determine whether an image is AI-generated or if it has been tampered with.
The election project starts with partner journalists and news media gathering photos during the election. Media files and their provenance metadata are then uploaded via the Capture Dashboard or SDK (Capture Cam for civic participation). This process generates a decentralized content identifier (NID), and a smart contract commits this data to the blockchain, ensuring its immutability.
Verification Tools
Next, the verification pipeline comes into play. The C2PA Verify site allows users to upload content for verification albeit without the blockchain functionality. This poses several challenges because C2PA labels can be easily removed from the content. To address this challenge, it is recommended to use the Numbers Verify Engine in combination with C2PA. The AI within the engine compares the uploaded content against existing images, ensuring the content's uniqueness and legitimacy. This step is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the media files.
For each piece of content uploaded with Capture, an Asset Profile is created. The Asset Profile page displays comprehensive information, including creator details, creation time and location, and a direct link to the blockchain transaction.
Final Archive
Finally, all the content is archived on the Filecoin network, ensuring the long-term preservation and integrity of the content, providing a secure and reliable archive for future reference. In addition to the Filecoin network, the project also uses a customized instance of the Uwazi asset management system with an Authenticated Attributes backend, developed by Starling Lab, to prototype collaborative journalism investigations.
Civic Participation and Information Widgets (Capture Eye)
A unique aspect of the election project is its embrace of civic engagement. The Capture Cam enables the general public to contribute verified media easily with their mobile phones. Users can capture and upload media, which is then registered on the blockchain, maintaining the content's authenticity and integrity. This democratization of media creation ensures a transparent democratic process.
Users can easily check the election archive in the following page :
Each piece of content on the site features an information widget called Capture Eye. The Capture Eye can be easily installed on any website, allowing users to verify provenance information. This widget enhances content authenticity by displaying on-chain information and supporting advanced features like direct license NFT purchases.
Embracing a New Digital Era
The Taiwan 2024 election project marks a significant step towards a future where the provenance and integrity of digital content are highly valued. With a plethora of impactful elections on the horizon (United States, Canada, Germany), the need for trustworthy information is at an all time high. To illustrate, following the attempted assassination of U.S. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump in July 2024, we observed an increase in fake news, speculations, and even conspiracy theories in just a matter of days.
By leveraging blockchain and decentralized storage technologies, the election project combats misinformation, including deepfakes, and enables news outlets and journalists to emphasize their brand values. This initiative showcases a global trend, with similar technologies being adopted in elections worldwide, underscoring the importance of protecting electoral integrity and digital information.
With C2PA and blockchain technologies, alongside ethical AI practices, we can create a future where digital content is verifiable, trustworthy, and secure. Let's work together to ensure that the information we rely on during elections—and beyond—remains a true reflection of reality.
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