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Preserve the earliest available video without altering it, document how it was obtained and handled, and assess its source, timing, location, completeness, and content against independent evidence. A hash can help show that a file has not changed since it was hashed; it cannot prove that the recording was genuine before then—or establish what happened. Preservation and verification support later assessment, but neither guarantees admissibility or resolves every factual dispute.

Preserve the earliest available version

Secure the source file and its context

If it is possible and safe, obtain the native file from the recording device or earliest source. Keep it unaltered and un-transcoded, and retain related files in their original order. A social-media download or repost may not be equivalent to the source recording: platforms and subsequent users may change the file, omit material, or separate it from its original context.

If the video appeared online, preserve the available post or page as well as the file. Record its URL, the date and time you captured it, and relevant surrounding text or media. Keep a copy of the context in a way that does not overwrite or modify the video file. WITNESS’s Archive Guide: Video as Evidence recommends preserving original files unaltered and in their original order.

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Record what the source can establish

For a file supplied by a witness, document who provided it, when and how it was transferred, and what the provider says about who recorded it, where and when, which device was used if known, and whether it was edited or shared before collection. Distinguish the provider’s firsthand knowledge from information they heard from someone else. This account is useful collection context, not proof on its own. NIST’s Digital Evidence Preservation: Considerations for Evidence Handlers (IR 8387, September 2022) emphasizes recording a file’s source and how it was created or transferred.

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Make a working copy and hash the preserved file

Keep the earliest available evidence file protected, and use a verified working copy for examination. If you can calculate a cryptographic hash, do so close to collection and record the algorithm, hash value, date and time, the exact file hashed, and the operator or tool when known. Keep that record securely and separately from the evidence file. If you cannot hash the file, note why.

A hash is a file-fixity check. If a later comparison using the same method produces the same value, that supports that the compared file is bit-for-bit identical to the version hashed. It does not establish who recorded the video, whether its caption is true, when or where the depicted event occurred, or whether the file was altered before the first hash. NIST IR 8387 warns that evidence may be changed before hashing and that hash records themselves need secure storage.

Keep a custody and processing log

Maintain a dated record of acquisition, transfers, storage locations, access, copies made, and actions taken. Record who handled the file and what they did, to the extent that information is available. NIST IR 8387 stresses tracking chain of custody and protecting evidence from compromise, contamination, or degradation; WITNESS also recommends documenting custody and alterations.

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If you convert, enhance, or otherwise process a file, preserve both the input and output. Log the purpose, operator, software or tool and version if known, and steps taken. Label processed material as a working or presentation copy; do not silently replace the preserved source. Keep forensic observations separate from conclusions about what happened or who was responsible.

Document technical properties carefully

Record relevant properties of the file, including resolution, frame rate, file format, codec, pixel aspect ratio, and any visible or embedded time information. The OSAC Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Video Examination Workflow (version 2.0) describes an initial technical overview and documentation of issues and discrepancies. Where practicable, compare results from more than one suitable tool, note disagreements, and refer questions beyond ordinary handling to a qualified forensic video examiner.

For CCTV or DVR footage, request the best available export and any associated metadata or system information. Proprietary export processes can make files harder to use with other systems and may lose metadata or quality during conversion. NIST’s 2019 CCTV Digital Video Export Profile addresses interoperable exports intended to support evidentiary value, metadata, and chain of custody.

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Metadata is a clue, not a verdict. Missing metadata does not establish that a video is fabricated, and metadata that is present does not independently prove the file or its contents are authentic.

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Verify the video through independent checks

Trace provenance and compare versions

Ask who recorded the video, who first possessed it, and how it moved from the device to an uploader, witness, or investigator. Look for an earlier or longer version when possible, and compare available versions. Preserve the URLs, capture dates, and relevant post context for online appearances. The Berkeley Protocol on Digital Open Source Investigations (2020) calls for assessing a source and its information in context; WITNESS’s archive guidance also emphasizes source documentation and custody.

Assess where it was recorded

Compare stable visual features—such as street layout, signs, architecture, terrain, and landmarks—with independent maps, imagery, or reliable ground-level photographs. Note which features match and any plausible competing explanation. State whether the location is established or only estimated, and describe the limits of the imagery used. A visual match is evidence to assess, not a reason to overstate certainty.

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Assess when the depicted events occurred

Treat upload times and visible clocks as leads rather than automatic recording times. Where suitable evidence exists, compare the clip with event chronology, weather, shadows and sun position, or other independently dated material. The Berkeley Protocol describes corroborating dates and times of depicted events as chronolocation and identifies shadow analysis as one possible clue; no single clue necessarily settles the time.

Check completeness and corroboration

Determine whether the footage begins and ends where its source says it does, and whether gaps, cuts, or missing earlier or later material could affect the claim being assessed. An incomplete clip may still be probative, but incompleteness can affect its weight. Compare its content with independent recordings, contemporaneous records, and witness accounts where available.

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Do not infer authenticity or editing from a single visual artifact. Document technical anomalies and inconsistencies, then assess them alongside provenance and outside corroboration. The May 2024 Evaluating Digital Open Source Imagery: A Guide for Judges and Fact-finders discusses the need to evaluate digital imagery in context rather than treating a file feature as a complete answer.

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If a witness shares the video online

Preserve the unmodified file securely even if a public version is also shared. Before sharing or publishing, consider whether faces, identifying details, or the act of sharing could put the recorder or other people at risk. WITNESS Media Lab’s You captured police abuse on video. Now what? recommends working with a trusted media outlet, legal expert, or advocacy organization when deciding whether and how to share footage of police abuse. The Berkeley Protocol also emphasizes protection of sources, witnesses, victims, and investigators.

For a social-media copy, retain available post context and seek the source file when appropriate and safe. Verify location, time, and content independently rather than treating either missing or surviving metadata as conclusive.

Know where technical preservation ends

Good handling can make later assessment more reliable, but it does not determine whether a particular recording will be admissible or how much weight it will receive. Collection authority, disclosure duties, privacy rules, public-records requirements, and admissibility standards vary by jurisdiction and case. For case-specific decisions, follow instructions from the responsible evidence authority and seek local legal advice. The U.S. Department of Justice Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative’s Video Evidence: A Law Enforcement Guide to Resources and Best Practices (March 2014) is a law-enforcement resource, not a substitute for advice on the rules that apply to an individual case.

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