How to Document Chain of Custody
Key Takeaways The method Log where a file came from, when you got it, and how you stored it before you publish. Why it matters Without custody notes, authentic-looking files become unverifiable screenshots. On Gnosis Put provenance in the pin notes; label credibility honestly if custody is weak. Chain of custody sounds like a crime lab. For investigators it is simpler: can you say how this PDF got to you, and can you still find the original? Indie publishers lose arguments when the only copy is a compressed social screenshot with no hash, URL, or download timestamp. Capture originals early Download from the official portal when possible. Save WARC or full HTML for volatile pages if the claim depends on wording that might change. Note the URL and retrieval time in UTC. For physical documents, photograph covers and page corners; keep a working copy and a read-only archive copy. Log transfers If a source handed you a drive, record when, from whom (even if the name stays private), and what you verifi…
