✅ Legal uses cases and Q&A
This service is for anyone who needs to prove that a specific document, image, or file existed in a specific form at a specific point in time — without sharing its content.
Our tool lets you create a unique digital fingerprint (called a hash) of your file. This fingerprint can only be created if you have the exact original file. Any change will result in a different fingerprint.
That fingerprint is then stored permanently on the public Solana blockchain. Once published there, it cannot be removed or changed by anyone, ever.
Below are concrete legal and professional scenarios where these blockchain-stored fingerprints are useful.
🧠 Intellectual property and ideas
Q: Can I prove that I invented or authored something before someone else?
Yes. You can store the fingerprint of a design, codebase, document, or specification in the public blockchain. If someone else later files a patent or publishes similar work, you have verifiable proof that you possessed the exact file at a specific time, which can support authorship or invention claims.
Q: If someone else patents the idea, can I still use mine?
Possibly. Some jurisdictions recognize a prior use right. If you can prove you possessed and used the invention before the patent filing, you may be allowed to continue using it. Blockchain fingerprinting supports this defense if you kept the original file private.
✍️ Contracts, evidence and disclosure
Q: Can I prove that a document was disclosed at a certain time?
Yes. Store a fingerprint of the document on the blockchain before sending it. You can later show what was sent and when it existed. This can be useful in contract negotiations or disputes.
Q: Can I protect myself in case of business idea theft or NDA breaches?
Yes. Hashing your file before sharing it provides verifiable proof of what was in your possession at the time. If there's a dispute, this can help demonstrate what you shared, as long as your communication clearly referred to that version.
Q: Can I verify that a signed contract or HR document hasn’t been modified?
Yes. You can store fingerprints of employment contracts, resignation letters, NDAs, etc. to prove the original version’s integrity even if only a printed copy is signed.
Q: Can this replace notarization?
No. Blockchain timestamping is not a legal substitute for notarization and is generally not accepted in place of a notary's certified act.
🔐 Privacy-first document evidence
Q: Can I prove that a photo or video existed and is unedited?
Yes. Store a fingerprint of the original file. Even the slightest one pixel edit will change the fingerprint. This is useful in journalism, litigation, or internal investigations.
Q: Can I prove that I held a copy of a passport or license at a certain time?
Yes. You can store the fingerprint of a scan before submitting or archiving it. It proves you had access to that exact file at that time, and you can share this proof without ever distributing the passport image itself. This helps reduce the storage of privacy-sensitive material — as long as you securely keep the original scan, which is needed to validate the fingerprint later.
Q: Can I timestamp a will, testament, or personal declaration?
Yes. This doesn’t replace legal filing but shows the unaltered version existed earlier, which can support inheritance or intent claims.
📂 Compliance and business documentation
Q: Can I timestamp internal audit reports or log files?
Yes. You can hash exported logs, CSVs, XML files, or PDFs from internal systems to prove that data was present at a certain moment — even if the system is later changed or wiped.
Q: Can I create proof of a technical drawing or blueprint without disclosing it?
Yes. Engineering teams can hash CAD files, PDFs, or images to prove version control and prior creation, useful in customer disputes or product liability.
Q: Can I protect pre-contract versions of an offer or technical proposal?
Yes. Hash your version before sending, so you can later prove which terms were originally proposed if there's a conflict.
📰 Media, research, and public communication
Q: Can I timestamp scientific or academic work before publishing?
Yes. You can hash a thesis, paper, or dataset to prove that its exact content existed before publication. This supports authorship claims, data integrity and priority in discovery.
Q: Can I protect myself before publishing controversial material?
Yes. Journalists and researchers can hash text, images, ZIPs, or archive files before release. If the material is later contested, altered, or censored, the hash proves what was originally created. Make sure to keep the original file safely since only that can verify the fingerprint later.
Q: Can I timestamp a press release or blog post before I publish it?
Yes. This can be useful to prove authorship and timing, support priority claims, or help defend against defamation or content disputes in PR and legal contexts.
⚠️ Legal note
docproof4you.io does not store or verify your file. We store a fingerprint of the file, also called a cryptographic hash, on the Solana blockchain. This proves the file existed in that exact form at that time. It does not identify you, verify content, or replace legal registration systems.
The proof is only valid if you can later present the original file that matches the stored fingerprint.
We use a secure, collision-resistant cryptographic hash function (SHA-256 or stronger), widely trusted in finance and cybersecurity. Even if future technologies make current algorithms obsolete, the blockchain timestamp proves the hash was created when the method was considered tamper-proof, preserving its legal evidentiary value.