Newly Developed Software Promises to Expose "Photo Hoaxes"

New software technology being developed by scientists at Dartmouth College will be able to determine whether digital images are fakes. According to the article, a Java version will soon come out that will be available for more widespread use. Software like this could solve a wide array of questions about doctored photographs - from JFK pictures, supposed UFO shots, or even just finding out if that picture posted on your favorite newsgroup or forum has been altered.

The question is just whether or not the general public will have access to a copies of this groundbreaking technology.

Will you be able to get a copy of the Java-based version of the Image Science Group's applications? Probably not. One of the dilemmas of this type of software is that the more widespread the distribution, the more chance forgers will exploit it to their advantage. Police organizations and news media outlets will likely get access to the application, but he's still unsure of how far he will extend distribution beyond that.

And although Farid charges a fee when asked to serve as a consultant, the software will be made freely available under an open-source license. He doesn't even have plans to form a company around his work. A significant amount of the research, after all, was funded by federal grants.

Sounds great! Now all we need is an online polygraph machine and online fraud will cease to exist...

Smoking out photo hoaxes with software | CNET News.com