In an effort to fight deepfakes and other types of manipulated and generated images, Sony, in partnership with the Associated Press (AP), has unveiled in-camera authentication technology. The technology, which will be available in Sony’s existing camera models like the a1 and a7S III and the upcoming a9 III, creates a digital signature at the moment of capture, ensuring that each image can be verified for authenticity.
“While the rapid evolution of generative AI brings new possibilities for creative expression, it has also led to growing concern about the impact of altered or manipulated imagery in journalism,” says Neal Manowitz, President and COO of Sony Electronics. “The dissemination of false information and images has real world social impact that brings harm not only to our photojournalist and news agency partners, but to society as a whole.”
This is a difficult problem to solve. The strategy is excellent: create and embed a digital signature when a camera computes an image. I say “computes” an image because the only difference between a “fake” image and a “real” image in this context is a lens and light sensor; all digital images are computer generated.
Is it possible to “sign” a digital image to ensure its authenticity? If you’re interested in learning more about the industry’s approach to this issue, explore the initiatives of The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). It was established to combat misinformation by developing technical standards that certify the source and provenance of media.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.