Frequently asked questions

You register the file with SignaIP before publishing it. The record associates declared authorship information with the file and creates verifiable references with a timestamp. If someone uses the image later, an earlier record exists and can be consulted and compared with the file being presented.

You can still register the file, but the record documents its existence and associated declarations from that date, not from the original publication. That is why registering before sharing is recommended. Reconstructing authorship after a violation usually requires more evidence and can take longer.

Anyone can verify a file without an account on SignaIP. Content Credentials can be read by C2PA-compatible tools, and public record references can be consulted independently. Confidence in declared authorship also depends on the identity and information associated with the record.

An edit can break the integrity binding between the file and its credential. Verification can then show that the presented content no longer fully matches the registered file. This does not prevent editing, but it can indicate that the provenance chain was modified.

No. You upload the file, provide the authorship information you want to declare, and choose AI-use permissions. SignaIP processes the record, generates credentials, and makes the signed file and provenance certificate available according to the features included in your plan.

Verification accepts image formats including JPG, PNG, WEBP, TIFF, HEIC, and HEIF. Available formats, size limits, and features for video, documents, and audio can vary by functionality and plan. Check the plans page for current conditions.

A record can include the author's declared identity, associated website and profiles, file technical data, date and time, AI-use permissions, and available provenance information. The effective set of information depends on the file, user choices, and tools involved in the process.

You submit the file for analysis. The platform checks for available credentials and provenance information, such as declared author, date, and recorded history. Separately, it can analyse technical indicators of AI generation or manipulation. Provenance and AI analysis are distinct results.

C2PA is the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, an open standard for recording information about the origin and history of digital content. The information is organised in a signed manifest, also presented as Content Credentials, which compatible tools can read and verify.

No. A watermark visibly changes an image and can be removed or cropped. C2PA organises cryptographically signed declarations and provenance information. When the binding to a file is altered, verification can indicate that the credential's integrity has been broken.

No. Content Credentials help people review who declared a file's origin, which actions were recorded, and which tools were involved. They do not determine whether the event depicted is true. Documented provenance and the truth of a fact are different questions.

Tools compatible with the C2PA standard can read and present the information available in a credential. SignaIP provides file verification, and other compatible implementations can also interpret a manifest according to their own trust and validation policies.

During registration, you can declare permissions for generative model training, non-generative model training, data mining, and inference. These permissions record your preference alongside provenance information; they do not technically prevent third parties from disregarding the declaration on their own.

SignaIP can analyse technical indicators and present a probability of AI use. When intact Content Credentials are available, they may declare how the file was created and which tools were used. Without credentials, the analysis relies on indicators rather than a definitive confirmation.

No. A file without a credential can be authentic, but it does not offer a C2PA provenance chain to review. The absence of Content Credentials neither confirms nor rules out AI use, declared authorship, or the truth of what is depicted.

A platform label depends on that service's rules and implementation. A provenance record associates a declaration with a file and creates timestamped verifiable references. These are different mechanisms: one is a platform policy; the other documents information about a specific file.

The certificate gathers record data and can help document priority, integrity, and declarations associated with a file. The acceptance and weight of any document in a proceeding depend on the specific case, other evidence, and the assessment of the competent authorities.

Newsrooms can register images and other materials before public circulation to document their provenance. When they receive a third-party file, they can verify credentials, declared information, and available history. This supports reporting, but it does not replace editorial or journalistic verification.

An earlier record creates a time reference and associates declarations with a file before a dispute or improper publication. After a problem arises, evidence can still be collected, but the file's origin must be reconstructed from available elements, which can be more limited.

File and data processing follows product settings and the Privacy Policy. In credentials, you choose what information to declare. Records and references on public networks can be verifiable by third parties, so avoid including unnecessary personal or sensitive information.

Yes. SignaIP offers a Free plan with included features to get started. Paid plans expand registration limits, advanced verification, workspaces, and additional features. Check the plans page for current limits and prices.

Basic verification is available on the homepage without registration. Advanced features, usage limits, and additional functionality depend on the selected plan. The plans page presents the current conditions for each option.

Batch signing registers several files at once with authorship information and AI-use permissions defined for the group. It is useful for people working with a high volume of content, such as communication teams, photographers, and newsrooms.

Cancellation affects new registrations and access to plan features according to their terms. Files already signed and public references already published are not automatically deleted. Consult the Terms of Use for conditions that apply to your plan and existing records.