Olga Kornienko on C2PA, Content Authenticity & DRM at Streaming Media 2025
▼ Summary
– EZDRM is expanding from DRM services to offer a complete video security solution, including content provenance to verify content sources and modifications.
– C2PA standard protects content authenticity by verifying creators and tracking modifications without judging factual accuracy, allowing creative reuse while preserving original attribution.
– Content provenance helps defend against IP violations, legal liability, and brand reputation damage by providing a verifiable record of original content and subsequent changes.
– C2PA does not validate content truthfulness but certifies ownership and creation source, allowing creators to express opinions even if factually incorrect.
– Industry awareness of C2PA is growing, but public education is needed for widespread adoption, with proposals for browser indicators to identify provenance-protected content.
During a recent industry event, EZDRM’s Chief Operating Officer Olga Kornienko explored the critical relationship between content provenance, the C2PA standard, and digital rights management. She highlighted how these technologies work together to safeguard media authenticity and protect creators in an era increasingly dominated by synthetic media. Her conversation with Future Frames producer Doug Daulton provided clear analogies to explain these complex but essential concepts.
When asked about EZDRM’s current focus, Kornienko described the company as a comprehensive video security service provider. She explained they are expanding beyond their established DRM offerings to deliver a full suite of security solutions. The discussion naturally turned to data provenance, which Kornienko identified as a major industry topic. She defined it as the practice of verifying a piece of content’s origin and tracking any alterations made after its initial publication.
Daulton added that provenance is vital for protecting intellectual property. He pointed to recent demonstrations using AI to manipulate historical footage, noting how provenance signals can help audiences distinguish between authentic recordings and satirical or altered versions.
Kornienko then detailed the role of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). She clarified that C2PA does not judge whether content is factually true. Instead, it establishes a chain of custody. People are free to express any opinion, but C2PA helps tag content, especially AI-generated material, so its synthetic nature is transparent. She used the example of a humorous, obviously fictional video of a man fighting an ant to illustrate content that no one would mistake for real.
Their discussion touched on viral videos, such as those showing babies with wild animals. Daulton summarized that audiences deserve to know if footage has been modified from its original source. Kornienko expanded on this, explaining that bad actors might repost original content while falsely claiming creation rights or attributing it to a legitimate news outlet. This is where C2PA provides a defense mechanism.
She shared an anecdote about a content distributor who didn’t see the need for C2PA. Kornienko explained that if they post content from a source like The New York Times under their own logo, and someone later alters that content, the distributor can prove what they originally published was authentic. The altered version would lack the proper cryptographic signature.
Daulton connected this to legal liability and brand reputation. If manipulated content causes harm, the original creator can definitively prove they are not the source of the misinformation. Kornienko agreed, offering a scenario where AI could falsely report a corporate merger via a fabricated press release, potentially manipulating stock prices for fraudulent gain. With C2PA protection, a company can immediately produce the authentic, signed version of their document.
Daulton offered a powerful analogy, comparing C2PA to a digital notary. It certifies the state of content at a specific point in time, providing a verifiable record if that content is later tampered with.
A key distinction Kornienko made is that unlike DRM, which encrypts and locks content, C2PA is designed to enable ongoing creativity. It allows for remixes and derivatives while maintaining a clear lineage. If someone modifies a video to add a unicorn, they can sign their new version. Viewers can then see the original creator’s work and the subsequent modified version, understanding who made which changes. Daulton likened this to an extension of the Creative Commons ethos, supporting remix culture while protecting original rights.
Despite EZDRM’s involvement with C2PA, Kornienko noted that industry awareness is still growing. A common point of confusion is the belief that a C2PA signature certifies factual truth. She and Daulton clarified that it only certifies origin and ownership. Daulton gave the example of a video claiming the sky is blue, C2PA certifies who created that claim, not whether the sky was actually blue during filming. Kornienko added that even if she created a video with an orange sky and claimed it was blue, the C2PA signature would simply affirm it as her creative work.
Looking forward, Kornienko expressed hope that public understanding will catch up to industry awareness. She envisions a future where consumers actively seek out and demand content with verifiable provenance. Daulton drew a parallel to the adoption of HTTPS, suggesting that public education will be key. He recalled a panel discussion where someone hoped for a future browser setting to filter for only provable content.
Kornienko mentioned that EZDRM already has a live video solution that uses a “Content Credentials” logo. A standard logo indicates authentic content, while a logo with an “X” appears when manipulated frames are played, alerting viewers to changes. Daulton humorously suggested that the concept could be popularized by featuring it in a crime drama like Law & Order, where a forensic analyst would point to the “little red X” as evidence of tampering in a courtroom scene.
(Source: Streaming Media)
