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Where did that image come from?

With sameSource, you're not just a viewer—you're an informed participant. sameSource opens a window to the origin and history of media you encounter online, helping you understand whether what you're seeing is authentic, an AI creation, or a modified image from the past. In a world where every image has a story, sameSource helps you know the real one.
 

How it works

 

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Images, photographs, videos, and sound recordings are sourced from established journalists, reputable organizations, campaign affiliates, government officials, and the general public.

 

Record

Upon submission to sameSource, each piece of media is digitally fingerprinted and timestamped, with all available information meticulously recorded.

  

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When individuals later submit an image to sameSource, it undergoes a similar fingerprinting process. The system then compares this new fingerprint against those in our extensive repository. Any exact or close matches are promptly identified and reported, thereby clarifying the media's earliest known history or provenance.

  
  

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Latest News

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Navigating the Truth: Uncovering the Real Stories Behind Digital Media with sameSource

Technological advancements have revolutionized how we create and alter images, photographs, videos, and soundtracks, often outpacing our ability to detect modifications or fabrications. A single piece of media, whether viewed on a screen or heard through earbuds, can elicit profound emotional responses. Yet, the origins of these pieces remain shrouded in mystery. Are these images authentic, or are they modified versions of historical visuals? Are we seeing original works or clever digital manipulations?

Addressing these questions goes beyond individual capabilities—it demands a robust infrastructure. That's where sameSource comes in. With sameSource, you transform from a passive viewer into an informed participant. This platform sheds light on the origins and histories of the media you encounter online. It empowers you to discern whether what you're viewing is genuine, a product of AI, or a retouched version of a past image.

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Unveiling Media Histories: How sameSource Tracks and Reports on Altered Images

sameSource is not merely a software tool used to analyze media for authenticity or AI manipulation. Instead, it functions as a comprehensive archival system that maintains detailed historical records on various types of media. When queried about an image, photograph, drawing, illustration, movie, or soundtrack, sameSource provides a report detailing all recorded information about that piece of media.

Modifications in images often result in shifts in their intended meanings, and these altered versions can sometimes surpass the original in popularity. This disparity can make it challenging to trace back to the original, as the two versions are not identical. sameSource addresses this challenge by identifying not only exact matches but also similar images, providing details on each variation. This enables users to understand both the origins and the evolutionary trajectory of an image, ensuring transparency when alterations have shifted its original intent.

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Open Architecture and Transparent Operations

sameSource is designed with an open, transparent architecture to support a diverse range of applications, particularly optimized for political images during the 2024 elections. Beyond our core offerings, we enable other developers to integrate alternative fingerprinting systems into sameSource. These third-party systems become readily accessible to all sameSource users, expanding our platform's versatility and promoting the best fingerprinting methods from others.

We also cater to media creators who wish to monitor their content for unauthorized use or to foster authorized repurposing under a Creative Commons license, which sameSource supports. This feature allows members of the public to verify the copyright status of any media easily.

To guarantee the integrity of the information provided, sameSource utilizes open timestamps alongside public, immutable logs. This approach not only ensures the authenticity of the data but also simplifies the auditing and accountability processes, reflecting our commitment to operational transparency.

About

We help you understand the story behind the media you encounter online. sameSource provides a robust digital media verification platform that enhances transparency and authenticity across all forms of media. While we specialize in fingerprinting and archiving political content for the 2024 elections, our platform is broadly applicable and supports content creators in managing copyrights, and journalists in investigating sources. Our open architecture promotes collaboration, enables third-party integrations, and maintains data integrity through secure, transparent practices.

Launch date is June 2024.

sameSource is brought to you by the Public Interest Tech Lab at Harvard University. Learn more about us at techlab.org. Support for sameSource comes, in part, from the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Please forward media requests and any other inquiries you may have to contact@samesource.org
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