TermVerification

Metadata

Structured data describing other data — such as when and how a file was created — used heavily in digital verification.

ElectionsTechUpdated February 1, 2025
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Metadata is "data about data." For a photograph, metadata (often stored as EXIF) can include the capture time, camera model, and sometimes GPS coordinates.

Uses in verification

  • Establishing when and where a file may have been created.
  • Detecting editing software in the processing history.
  • Corroborating or contradicting a claimed origin.

Caveats

Metadata is easily stripped by social platforms and can be forged. It is a lead, not proof, and should be corroborated with other evidence.

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