PROTOCHROME

Download the app (iOS)

Verify an image here

Protochrome is an experiment in photojournalism. Protochrome is primarily used through an app. When you take photos through this app, a special token is generated which uniquely identifies the photo, and the token is stored on our server. The photo itself is not stored on the server. With this token, anyone who has the original photo can verify either through the app or at this page that the photo they have matches the one taken through the app and has not been altered.

This method of verification ensures the photo has been unaltered by capturing this unique token right when the photo is taken. We do not make it possible to edit the photo before generating the verification token, and we do not make it possible to upload a token from anywhere but within the app.

Please note that the verification will only work if you have the original photo. Many methods of sharing images, including sharing through many social media sites, modify the file by changing the filetype, compressing the image, or changing the quality. I have found that even iCloud might compress images. Sharing through other methods, such as AirDrop or through many email clients, typically preserves the photo as it was captured and verified.

For more information, read this brief essay and see the privacy policy

Read about some recent actions by Apple and Protochrome's response here