The Simple Version
An RFC 3161 timestamp is a digital notary stamp. Just like a notary confirms "this document was signed on this date," an RFC 3161 timestamp confirms "this digital file existed at this exact moment in time." It comes from a trusted third party, not your phone, not you, making it independently verifiable. This is exactly why timestamps matter for legal evidence.
How It Works
Certify
When you certify a snap, the app makes a unique digital fingerprint (hash) of the file.
Send
That fingerprint is sent to a Timestamp Authority, like DigiCert, over a secure connection.
Certify
DigiCert attaches the exact date and time, signs it with their cryptographic certificate, and sends it back.
Record
Now you have a signed record from an independent authority showing that this exact file existed at that moment.
It is designed so the timestamp cannot be backdated or altered without detection.
Why Your Phone's Timestamp Isn't Enough
Your phone records dates in EXIF metadata. This data can be changed in seconds with free apps. Courts and insurance companies know this. EXIF timestamps are helpful context, but they can be changed: relying on them is one of the most common evidence documentation mistakes. An RFC 3161 timestamp from DigiCert can be checked independently. It does not depend on SnapProof alone.
Where RFC 3161 Is Used
Legal proceedings: Digital evidence authentication
Financial compliance: Regulatory timestamping
Intellectual property: showing when an invention or creation existed
Healthcare: Medical record integrity
Documentation: showing when photos and videos were certified
Why DigiCert?
DigiCert is one of the world's largest certificate authorities. Its RFC 3161 timestamps follow an international standard. In SnapProof, DigiCert timestamps the file's fingerprint when you certify a snap. It confirms when the file existed in that form. It does not confirm what the photo shows.
