Content Credentials
plural noun— in French, “justificatifs de contenu”≈ C2PA manifest
- Verifiable provenance records attached to digital content: an image, video, document or other media file.They show where content comes from, how it was created or edited, and whether its provenance data is intact.
- The user-facing name for the C2PA manifest: the technical structure that stores provenance information, protected by cryptographic signatures.
- By extension, the visual indicator that signals that content contains provenance information. The specification is hosted by the C2PA.
Why it matters
Digital media can be copied, edited, compressed, reposted and stripped of metadata. Content Credentials provide a standardized way to attach provenance information to media, so that tools, platforms and people can inspect it later.
For example, they can help answer questions such as:
- Does this file contain C2PA provenance data?
- Which tool or service signed the manifest?
- Was the file modified after the Content Credentials were created?
- Does the signing certificate chain to a recognized trust source?
- Are there declared creation or editing actions?
This is especially useful for newsrooms, brands, AI platforms, marketplaces, creators and compliance teams that need a clearer technical record of media provenance.
In ProvSeal
ProvSeal lets you examine Content Credentials directly in the browser. The extension verifies local files, scans the visible media on a page, displays a C2PA status and opens a detailed report: manifest, signature and certificate.
ProvSeal works locally: verification and test signing are designed to run in the browser, without uploading files to a ProvSeal server.
What they do not prove
- Without Content Credentials ≠ fake. Many authentic files do not include C2PA data yet.
- With Content Credentials ≠ true. They provide provenance and integrity signals. The source, context, claims and trust relationship behind the content still have to be assessed.
- For product governance and public trust, read the page on the C2PA conformance program.