âDecentralized Trusted Timestamping Using the Crypto Currency Bitcoinâ, 2015-02-13 (; backlinks)â :
Trusted timestamping is a process for proving that certain information existed at a given point in time.
This paper presents a trusted timestamping concept and its implementation in the form of a web-based service that uses the decentralized Bitcoin blockchain to store anonymous, tamper-proof timestamps for digital content. The service allows users to hash files, such as text, photos, or videos, and store the created hashes in the Bitcoin blockchain. Users can then retrieve and verify the timestamps that have been committed to the blockchain.
The non-commercial service enables anyone, eg. researchers, authors, journalists, students, or artists, to prove that they were in possession of certain information at a given point in time.
Common use cases include proving that a contract has been signed, a photo taken, a video recorded, or a task completed prior to a certain date. All procedures maintain complete privacy of the userâs data.