FAQ

Clear answers. Clear limits.

Common questions about privacy, verification, citation, and responsibility.

Does the tool upload my source files?

The official public version is designed to process selected source files locally in the browser and does not automatically upload them.

Does it prove authorship or copyright ownership?

No. It creates integrity and provenance records but does not independently prove legal authorship, originality, copyright ownership, or identity.

Is the recorded date a certified timestamp?

No. Suggested file dates and device-generated times are local metadata, not an independent trusted timestamp.

Can another person verify a record?

They can use the recorded SHA-256 values and package manifest to check whether provided files or package contents match the record.

Can I edit automatically suggested information?

Yes. Suggested title and date values remain editable and should be reviewed by a human.

Can the app work offline?

After the application shell has been loaded and cached successfully, the PWA can operate offline for its supported local functions.

Who originated the tool?

Provenance Tool is an official open-source reference implementation originated by Xufen Tu.

How should research users cite it?

Use the software citation on the Citation page or the repository CITATION.cff file when the tool materially supports a publication or research release.

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