C2PA Content Credentials and the Surveillance Risk: Adversarial Scenarios and Governance Gaps in the Content Provenance Ecosystem

WITNESS research examines how provenance and authenticity systems could amplify surveillance risks if implemented without the right safeguards. It shows where the threats are—and how to build guardrails that serve both truth and protection. This research centers on real-world scenarios and the voices of journalists, human rights defenders, and filmmakers who are on the frontlines of this infrastructure moment.