Tracing trust: Why we must build authenticity infrastructure that works for all - WITNESS Blog

TLDR: Coronavirus has dramatically increased the stakes for how we deal with issues of manipulated, fake and deceptive video and audio online, with governments, companies and publics responding to the need to discern truth from falsehood. One solution to misinformation and disinformation is to better track what is authentic, what is manipulated and how. Here we explain what this looks like and explore key questions of this move to ‘authenticity infrastructure’ that includes ‘verified capture’ apps like TruePic and ProofMode and initiatives like the Adobe Content Authenticity Initiative. Using key dilemmas from our recent ‘Ticks or It Didn’t Happen‘ report we look at key questions and describe what an optimal future looks like: Whose voices are accidentally or deliberately excluded or chilled? Who needs privacy and anonymity? On who is the burden of proof increased? What if the ‘ticks’ don’t work or they work too well for media consumers? Who abuses the data and the tools?