What is ProofKeep?
ProofKeep is a digital platform designed to help professionals document and timestamp content—photos, videos, audio recordings, files, and more—at the moment of creation. Using advanced encryption, tamper-proof logs, and decentralized timestamping (often via blockchain or similar technologies), ProofKeep creates a verifiable, permanent record of digital content.
For journalists, this means they can:
- Prove the time, location, and authorship of their content
- Share sensitive material securely with editors, publishers, or legal teams
- Maintain control over access to confidential sources or unpublished material
- Preserve a defensible record of events in case of legal or editorial disputes
Why Journalists Need Tools Like ProofKeep
Combatting Disinformation
In the post-truth era, trust in the media has eroded. Deepfakes, AI-generated content, and manipulated media have made it easier than ever to cast doubt on authentic reporting. ProofKeep helps journalists establish a chain of custody for their work, making it clear that their evidence hasn’t been tampered with.
Protecting Sensitive Sources
When working with whistleblowers or vulnerable communities, protecting source identity is critical. ProofKeep allows journalists to securely document interactions and restrict access to confidential files with encrypted storage and sharing options.
Legal and Editorial Defense
If a journalist is ever challenged—by a subject, an opposing lawyer, or even their own publisher—they can turn to ProofKeep's immutable logs to prove the authenticity and accuracy of their reporting.
How Journalists Use ProofKeep Throughout Their Workflow
Capture Evidence with Immutable Proof
With ProofKeep, you can capture video, photos, audio, or notes directly from your mobile device or laptop. Each capture is automatically time-stamped and geotagged, and stored with a cryptographic fingerprint that proves it hasn’t been altered.
Example:
A journalist documenting a protest can record real-time footage with ProofKeep. Later, even if the footage is shared publicly or edited for broadcast, the original, unaltered version is securely archived and provable.
Benefits:
- Verifies the time and place of media capture
- Creates a defensible record of events
- Shields against claims of manipulation
Secure Files with Encryption and Decentralized Timestamping
Once content is captured, ProofKeep encrypts it and stores a hash (a unique digital signature) using decentralized methods—often blockchain—for tamper-proof proof of existence. Only the journalist (and any authorized parties) can decrypt and view the content.
Why it matters:
This layer of protection ensures that sensitive content remains private, even if your device is compromised or subpoenaed.
Share Selectively and Securely
Need to share your files with an editor or legal advisor? ProofKeep lets you generate secure, permission-controlled links that expire after a set time or usage limit. You can even restrict downloads, watermark content, or require multi-factor authentication.
Use Case:
You're preparing a piece on political corruption and want your editor to review raw interview audio. Rather than sending the file by email or uploading to a public drive, you generate a secure ProofKeep link with one-time access.
Benefits:
- Maintains control over how content is accessed
- Tracks file access logs
- Prevents unauthorized leaks or tampering
Prove Integrity of Published Work
Once your story is published, you can link the final article back to the original source materials stored in ProofKeep. This is especially powerful for investigative pieces that may face scrutiny or legal pushback.
Example:
You publish a piece on environmental violations by a multinational corporation. Anticipating challenges, you include a public ProofKeep verification link showing the timestamped evidence you gathered—photos, interviews, and original documents.
Result:
You protect your credibility and bolster your defense in case of legal threats.
Build a Reputation for Transparency
Transparency builds trust. In an increasingly skeptical world, journalists who can prove the veracity of their evidence gain a critical advantage. ProofKeep offers public and private ways to show that your work meets the highest standards of documentation and ethics.
Pro tip: Use ProofKeep to create a “proof bundle” that includes all your key assets: timestamps, location data, and version history. Share this with your audience, editor, or legal team as needed.
Key Features of ProofKeep for Journalists
Feature & Benefit
- Immutable Timestamping: Proves the exact time and date content was captured
- Encryption at Rest and in Transit: Keeps sensitive material safe from hackers or unauthorized viewers
- Permission-Controlled Sharing: Prevents leaks and maintains editorial control
- Audit Trails and Access Logs: Know exactly who accessed your files, and when
- Chain of Custody Integration: Enhances trust with decentralized proof of authenticity
- Cross-Device Compatibility: Capture and access content from mobile, desktop, or browser
Real-World Use Cases
- Freelance Journalist in Conflict Zone: Captures interviews and images during civil unrest. ProofKeep stores encrypted files and timestamps them to build a credible and defensible archive of evidence.
- Investigative Reporter Uncovering Fraud: Documents financial records and records whistleblower interviews. Shares select files securely with their editor, with access logs ensuring chain of custody.
- Newsroom Editor Reviewing Contributor Work: Receives ProofKeep bundles from field reporters, confident that the media is authentic, unedited, and timestamped at the point of capture.
Getting Started: ProofKeep for Journalists
Getting started with ProofKeep is simple:
- Create an account on the ProofKeep platform.
- Download the app or access via your browser.
- Start capturing content securely—audio, video, documents, and more.
- Share only what you need to and keep the rest locked down.
Final Thoughts
In today’s high-stakes media landscape, ProofKeep empowers journalists to protect their craft with confidence. It provides the tools needed to document the truth, defend it when challenged, and maintain the trust of audiences, editors, and the public.
Whether you're covering war zones, political corruption, or community events, your work deserves to be protected. ProofKeep gives you the power to do just that.
Preserve truth. Prove integrity. Protect journalism—with ProofKeep.
