Sony has announced that its in-camera authenticity tech, which adds a cryptographic signature to photos at the time of capture, has successfully passed the second round of tests conducted by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). The C2PA is a joint initiative by Adobe, Microsoft, Twitter, and other tech and media companies to develop an open standard for content authenticity and provenance.
Sony’s in-camera authenticity tech is a feature that allows the camera to digitally sign each image with a unique code that is processed by the camera’s processor. This code can then be verified by a certificate server to detect any pixel modification, tampering, or forgery of the image. The tech is aimed at corporate and professional users who want to ensure the integrity and security of their images, such as in the fields of passport and ID verification, media, medical, and law enforcement.
Sony claims that its in-camera authenticity tech is based on standard cryptography and does not affect the image quality or performance of the camera. The tech is currently available only for the Sony Alpha 7 IV camera, but Sony plans to expand it to other models in the future.
How Does the C2PA Test the Tech?
The C2PA is a standards body that is working on creating a universal and interoperable system for content provenance and authenticity. The C2PA tests the compatibility and functionality of different technologies that can support this system, such as Sony’s in-camera authenticity tech.
The C2PA conducts two rounds of tests for each technology. The first round is a self-test, where the technology provider submits a sample of signed images and a verification tool to the C2PA. The C2PA then checks if the images can be verified by the tool and if the signatures are compliant with the C2PA specifications.
The second round is a cross-test, where the technology provider submits a sample of signed images to the C2PA, and the C2PA verifies them using different verification tools from other technology providers. The C2PA also submits a sample of signed images from other technology providers to the technology provider, and the technology provider verifies them using its own verification tool. The C2PA then evaluates if the verification results are consistent and accurate across different tools and technologies.
What are the Benefits of the Tech?
According to Sony, its in-camera authenticity tech can provide several benefits for content creators and consumers, such as:
- Protecting the originality and credibility of the images and preventing fraudulent usage or manipulation
- Enhancing the trust and transparency between the content creators and the content consumers
- Supporting the ethical and responsible use of digital content and combating the spread of misinformation and disinformation
- Enabling new applications and services that require verified and authentic images, such as digital identity, e-commerce, and social media
Sony also says that its in-camera authenticity tech is compatible with the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), another initiative by Adobe, Twitter, and The New York Times that aims to create a system for content attribution and verification. The CAI uses a similar approach of adding a cryptographic signature to the content, but also allows the content creator to add additional metadata, such as the creator’s name, location, and editing history. The CAI is currently in beta testing and is expected to launch in 2023.
