Borrowing “chain of custody” from a legal framework to follow information and media through each stage of movement.

'''Borrowing “chain of custody” from a legal framework to follow information and media through each stage of movement.'''

Pertinent Questions:

'''Pertinent Questions:'''

- How do we understand how media moves through an entire work process, from image maker to editor to distributer?

- How do we understand how media moves through an entire work process, from image maker to editor to distributer?

- How do we track the workflow?

- How do we track the workflow?

- How might a piece of media have a “signature”?

- How might a piece of media have a “signature”?

Different types of information flows:

'''Different types of information flows:'''

- From reported to editor to publisher

- From reported to editor to publisher

- From media collective to human rights group to lawyer for use as evidence  

- From media collective to human rights group to lawyer for use as evidence  

There is a distinction between editorial and advocacy: the responsibility to protect takes place at a different phase.  

There is a distinction between editorial and advocacy: the responsibility to protect takes place at a different phase.  

- Editorial: protecting and verifying subjects

'''- Editorial:''' protecting and verifying subjects

Verification, security and collection are all happening by the journalist in the field. The work then goes to an editor for re-verification, a security check to protect the subject’s welfare in publishing decisions and to ensure no misrepresentation of anyone that would put them in danger. In this editorial context, a lot of responsibility is on the journalist/photographer.

Verification, security and collection are all happening by the journalist in the field. The work then goes to an editor for re-verification, a security check to protect the subject’s welfare in publishing decisions and to ensure no misrepresentation of anyone that would put them in danger. In this editorial context, a lot of responsibility is on the journalist/photographer.

- Advocacy: ensuring the protection of data

'''- Advocacy:''' ensuring the protection of data

In a community based advocacy campaign, the data (photos) is collected from a broader group, so verification happens more through agglomeration (i.e. more and more images collected from a place by many people helps to verify authenticity). Verification can also be built into training/guidance of participants, i.e. how to take pictures technically - what needs to be captured, clear visual context of where the image was shot - and how to post/send.

In a community based advocacy campaign, the data (photos) is collected from a broader group, so verification happens more through agglomeration (i.e. more and more images collected from a place by many people helps to verify authenticity). Verification can also be built into training/guidance of participants, i.e. how to take pictures technically - what needs to be captured, clear visual context of where the image was shot - and how to post/send.

If you could track a piece of media, how would you document its tracking and secure its trail? Where does it get written down? Can it be encrypted as the media travels from place to place?

If you could track a piece of media, how would you document its tracking and secure its trail? Where does it get written down? Can it be encrypted as the media travels from place to place?

Wishlist:

'''Wishlist:'''

An open source app/ tech tool that is automatic, “opt-in” by data collector, secured, encrypted at every stage

An open source app/ tech tool that is automatic, “opt-in” by data collector, secured, encrypted at every stage

Or, a tool for an image to be encrypted and kept in one place where it can be accessed by many and have metadata added to it with version control to see who has accessed and made editions

Or, a tool for an image to be encrypted and kept in one place where it can be accessed by many and have metadata added to it with version control to see who has accessed and made editions

InformaCam is a plugin for ObscuraCam that allows the user, without much intervention on their own part, to inflate image and video with extra points of data, or metadata. The metadata includes information like the user’s current GPS coordinates, altitude, compass bearing, light meter readings, the signatures of neighboring devices, cell towers, and wifi networks; and serves to shed light on the exact circumstances and contexts under which the digital image was taken. Some users will already be familiar with ObscuraCam, which allows for capturing and digitally manipulating media. With InformaCam included, the app starts to behave almost like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, supporting non-destructive, layer-based edits to media. This means that a version of an image can be created with any sensitive image data and metadata preserved and encrypted to trusted entities, along with a redacted version that has its metadata stripped which can be easily shared to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, or any public service the user wishes to use.

InformaCam is a plugin for ObscuraCam that allows the user, without much intervention on their own part, to inflate image and video with extra points of data, or metadata. The metadata includes information like the user’s current GPS coordinates, altitude, compass bearing, light meter readings, the signatures of neighboring devices, cell towers, and wifi networks; and serves to shed light on the exact circumstances and contexts under which the digital image was taken. Some users will already be familiar with ObscuraCam, which allows for capturing and digitally manipulating media. With InformaCam included, the app starts to behave almost like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, supporting non-destructive, layer-based edits to media. This means that a version of an image can be created with any sensitive image data and metadata preserved and encrypted to trusted entities, along with a redacted version that has its metadata stripped which can be easily shared to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, or any public service the user wishes to use.

Next Steps:

'''Next Steps:'''

- Identify technology solution

- Identify technology solution

- Establish process/guidelines

- Establish process/guidelines