What recognition changes in the report
Recognition is policy context around the certificate chain — not a verdict on visual truth.
Trusted status
A result can be Trusted when the C2PA evidence is valid and the certificate chain reaches a recognized trust source.
Trust policy
Recognition is policy context around the certificate chain. It is separate from whether the visual content is true.
Test environments
Test certificates are useful for learning and demos, but they are not recognized public production trust.
Recognized trust vs. local or test signing
How to read Trusted, Signed but untrusted, Invalid and No credentials.
| Case | What the report can show | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Recognized chain | Trusted | The C2PA evidence validates and the signing certificate chains to a recognized source. |
| Valid local or test certificate | Signed but untrusted | The signature can be valid, but it is not recognized as public production trust. |
| Broken evidence | Invalid | C2PA data exists, but signature or integrity validation failed. |
| No embedded evidence | No credentials | No C2PA evidence was detected. This does not mean the media is false. |
How teams should use recognition data
A practical review sequence for editorial, brand, compliance and technical teams.
Start with Trusted, Signed but untrusted, Invalid or No credentials.
Check issuer, subject, validity and chain information when available.
Use the report as one input in editorial, brand, compliance or technical review.
Do not treat recognized C2PA evidence as fake detection or proof of visual truth.