How to prove ownership of a photoKeep the original and your records; a timestamp shows when, not who owns it

TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.

The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.

Short answer

Keep the original camera file, any RAW version, your edits and anything showing when and where you made it, then record the date of the exact file. A TimeBind shows when a file existed. It does not prove who took the photo or who owns it.

Evidence that supports a claim

Ownership of a photo is a legal question that depends on the country, any contract, and who pressed the shutter. Practically, people support a claim with the untouched original file, the RAW file and edit history, other frames from the same shoot, device and location details, and where and when the image was first shared.

Metadata can help but can also be edited or removed (see what is EXIF data). Visible watermarks and copyright notices deter casual reuse but are easy to crop out. For the legal side, speak to a qualified professional.

Dating the original before you publish

Record the original file before you post, send it to a client or enter it in a contest. A TimeBind records a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact file and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded.

It shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. It does not show who made the photo, who owns it, or that it is real and unedited. Read prove a RAW photo existed before a date for a practical routine.

Make a TimeBind: first one free →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.

Frequently asked questions

Does a copyright notice prove I own a photo?

No. A notice shows a claim and can deter reuse, but it is not proof. Supporting evidence such as the original file and shoot records matters.

Is the RAW file useful evidence?

It can be, because it is harder to produce than an exported JPEG and may carry camera details. It is still evidence, not proof.

Does a TimeBind prove I took the photo?

No. It shows that an exact file existed no later than the recorded time. It does not verify authorship, ownership or that the photo is unedited.

Should I timestamp before or after editing?

Consider recording both the original and the final export, since each is a different file.

Sources

TimeBinder, Prove a RAW photo existed before a date.
TimeBinder, How to verify when a photo was taken.

Related guides and tools

Your file’s fingerprint, anchored to a global network secured by real electricity and cryptography.

Editing a file—including with AI—changes its fingerprint, not its existing network record.

How this works

Your file’s SHA-256 fingerprint, a short code worked out from its exact contents, is made in your browser, and the file itself stays on your device. A cryptographic commitment to that fingerprint, which may be combined with others, is then anchored in a block on the Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin is secured by proof of work: computers around the world spend real electricity to add each block, and changing an earlier block would mean redoing that work faster than the rest of the network. Until that block is confirmed, your proof is pending. Once the Bitcoin anchoring is confirmed, you can verify the proof against that recorded commitment. The confirmed record can then be checked; Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder, while ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked independently. If you check the file later and its fingerprint still matches, that shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. The record doesn’t show who made the file, whether AI was used, or that its contents are true.

Your filestays on your device
FingerprintSHA-256
Network timestampon Bitcoin

Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on

Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.

Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
Add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

Open TimeBinder →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.

Related glossary entries: DMCA counter-notice and orphan work.