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 an Independent Timestamp?
An independent timestamp comes from an independent third party, not your phone. DigiCert issues RFC 3161 timestamps: a signed record that a specific file fingerprint existed at a specific moment. It is designed so it can't be backdated or changed without detection. Think of it as a digital notary stamp for the file.
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
Independent timestamp + file fingerprint = a record that this exact file existed when it was certified. Anyone can check whether the file has changed since. It does not show what happened before the photo was taken.
File Hash
Independent Timestamp
Tamper-Evident Record
What SnapProof Stamps on Your Snap
When you certify a snap, SnapProof stamps a bar on the photo or video with:
Anyone can read it without special tools. The bar is for reading. The check happens at verify.getsnapproof.com, which compares the file with its fingerprint.
Why a Visible Stamp Helps
Metadata sits invisibly inside a file and can be stripped or changed. A visible stamp lets a lawyer, adjuster or anyone else see the Verification ID and recorded details right away, then check the file online.
