The Problem With Your Camera Roll
Every photo your phone takes includes metadata — date, time, location, device. Most people think this proves when a photo was taken. It doesn't. Anyone with a free app can change photo metadata in seconds — it's one of the biggest evidence mistakes people make. Change the date, the location, whatever you want. Metadata alone is not evidence — it's data that can be manipulated.
What Is a Verified Timestamp?
A verified timestamp comes from an independent, trusted third party — not your phone. Organizations like DigiCert (the same company securing major banks and governments) issue RFC 3161 timestamps. This is a cryptographic proof that a specific file existed at a specific moment. It cannot be backdated. It cannot be altered. It's the digital equivalent of a notary stamp — and it's central to what courts accept as digital evidence.
What Is a File Hash?
When evidence is created, a unique digital fingerprint called a SHA-256 hash is generated. Think of it like DNA for your photo. If even one pixel changes — a crop, a filter, any edit — the hash changes completely. This is designed to show the file you're presenting is the same file originally captured.
How They Work Together
Verified timestamp + file hash = evidence that THIS EXACT FILE existed at THIS EXACT MOMENT. No one can claim you took it later. No one can claim you edited it. The math is designed to make tampering detectable.
File Hash
Verified Timestamp
Tamper-Evident Record
What Gets Burned Onto Your Evidence
When you capture with SnapProof, the following is burned onto your photo or video at capture:
This information cannot be removed or altered. It's visible to anyone who looks at the image — no special tools needed.
Why "Burned On" Matters
Metadata sits invisibly inside a file and can be stripped or changed. Information burned directly onto the image is visible to anyone. A judge, a lawyer, an insurance adjuster — they can see the timestamp without any tools or trust in technology.
