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This page was translated automatically using artificial intelligence (DeepL). The German version is binding. More information about automatic translation
Can we still trust digital content without hesitation? The “Snapshots” research project at the BCCM (Blockchain Competence Centre Mittweida) at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences is addressing this question with the aim of documenting web content in a traceable, transparent and tamper-proof manner.
Whether official announcements, press articles or social media posts – much of the information that influences our actions today appears exclusively online. But what if an important post is altered retrospectively or suddenly disappears? The “Snapshots” project, which is being carried out in collaboration with CGI Germany, is tackling the development of a solution to precisely this problem. The aim is to ensure that digital evidence for web content is immutable, verifiable and stored in a decentralised manner.
The basic idea is that web content is automatically loaded via so-called ‘headless browsers’ and documented in its original state as a screenshot. Unlike traditional archiving services, several independent participants in a network – known as validators – now compare the results cryptographically and agree on a valid version via a public blockchain. This creates tamper-proof evidence that can be verified at any time – even without a central authority. The actual screenshot remains locally on the user’s device; only the digital fingerprint (hash) is stored.
The potential applications are wide-ranging. For example, digital snapshots can be used for the legally compliant archiving of official publications, for documenting journalistic research, or in the field of IT forensics.
A publicly accessible demo at https://validity-service.com/de already allows users to test the process and experience how it works in a clear and understandable way.
About the authors:
Quinten Stampa completed a Bachelor’s degree in IT security at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences and went on to complete his Master’s degree in Cybercrime/Cybersecurity in Mittweida. He has been employed as a research assistant at the BCCM since 2024.
Lucas Johns also studied for a Bachelor’s degree in IT security at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences. He completed his Master’s degree in Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) in Mittweida. He has been a research assistant at the BCCM since 2021.
Text: Lucas Johns and Quinten Stampa
Photo: Helmut Hammer