Glossary
Humark Glossary
Every technical term explained in plain language, so you can understand exactly how Humark protects your work.
Your Art & Identity
Biometric Signing
Using your face (FaceID) or fingerprint (TouchID) to prove that you, a real person, created a piece of work. When you sign with your biometrics, Humark links your identity to your art.
Think of it as: Like signing a painting with your thumbprint instead of just your name.
Creator Key
A unique digital identity generated from your biometrics. It represents you in the Humark registry without storing your actual biometric data. No two Creator Keys are alike.
Think of it as: Like a passport number that proves who you are, without revealing your personal details.
Pulse-Signing
Humark's name for the moment you authenticate with your biometrics to sign a piece of work. The "pulse" represents the proof of a living, breathing human behind the creation.
Think of it as: Like pressing your wax seal onto a letter to show it genuinely came from you.
Human Verification
The process of confirming that a real person (not an AI or automated tool) created a piece of content. Humark uses biometric authentication to establish this proof.
Think of it as: Like a notary confirming "yes, this person was here and signed this document."
How It Works
SHA-256 Hash
A digital fingerprint of your file. SHA-256 takes any file and produces a unique 64-character code. Even changing a single pixel creates a completely different code, making it perfect for detecting tampering.
Think of it as: Like a DNA test for your file. Every file has a unique result, and any change produces a totally different one.
Perceptual Hash
A "fuzzy" fingerprint that recognizes your image even after it has been resized, compressed, or slightly cropped. Unlike SHA-256, it focuses on what the image looks like rather than exact bytes.
Think of it as: Like recognizing a friend's face even if they change their hairstyle. The core features stay the same.
Provenance
The chain of custody showing where a piece of art came from, who made it, and when it was created. Provenance turns "trust me" into "verify it."
Think of it as: Like the history card on a museum painting that says who painted it, when, and who has owned it since.
Registry
The public database where signed works are recorded. Once your art is in the registry, anyone can look up its hash to confirm it was created by a verified human.
Think of it as: Like a public library catalogue. Anyone can look up a book to confirm it exists and who wrote it.
Standards & Compliance
C2PA
Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. An industry standard backed by Adobe, Microsoft, and others that defines how to embed proof of origin into digital files. Humark supports C2PA so your signed work is recognized across platforms.
Think of it as: Like the universal barcode system. Different stores use different software, but they all read the same barcode format.
Content Credentials
A label or tag embedded directly into a file that proves who made it, when, and how. Content Credentials travel with the file, so the proof is always attached.
Think of it as: Like a nutrition label on food. No matter where the product ends up, the label is right there on the package.
EU AI Act
A European law that requires AI-generated content to be clearly labeled. Platforms operating in Europe must be able to distinguish between human-made and AI-made content.
CA AB 3211
A California law requiring disclosure of provenance information for digital content. It mandates that platforms reveal whether content was made by a human or generated by AI.
Security & Protection
Zero-Knowledge Biometrics
A privacy approach where your biometric data (face scan, fingerprint) never leaves your device. Humark verifies your identity locally on your phone and only sends a cryptographic proof, not your actual biometrics.
Think of it as: Like a bouncer checking your ID at the door. They confirm you are old enough without photocopying your driver's license.
NPU (Neural Processing Unit)
A dedicated chip built into modern phones that handles AI tasks like facial recognition. Because biometric matching happens on this chip, your data stays on-device and is never uploaded to a server.
Think of it as: Like having a personal security guard who lives in your phone and never talks to anyone else.
Shield / Hardening
Invisible protections added to your files that make them harder for AI models to use as training data. Shielding does not change how your art looks to human eyes.
Think of it as: Like a watermark that is invisible to people but trips up a photocopier.
API Key
A password that software uses to talk to Humark's verification system. Platforms include their API key in each request so Humark knows who is asking and can enforce rate limits.
Think of it as: Like a keycard for a building. It lets authorized people in and keeps track of who entered.
Platform & Developer
Webhook
An automatic notification sent to a platform whenever something happens in the Humark registry (for example, when a new asset is registered). Instead of constantly checking for updates, the platform just waits to be notified.
Think of it as: Like signing up for package delivery alerts instead of refreshing the tracking page all day.
Batch Verification
Checking multiple files at once instead of one by one. Platforms with large content libraries can send up to 100 file hashes in a single request and get results for all of them at once.
Think of it as: Like handing a stack of papers to a notary instead of making a separate appointment for each one.
Manifest
A machine-readable certificate attached to your file that contains all provenance information: who signed it, when, and with what credentials. Software can read manifests automatically.
Think of it as: Like a shipping label on a package. Humans can read it, but scanners can also process it instantly.
HMAC-SHA256
A security stamp that proves a webhook message is genuinely from Humark and has not been tampered with in transit. Platforms verify this stamp before trusting the message.
Think of it as: Like a tamper-evident seal on a medicine bottle. If the seal is broken, you know someone interfered.
Still have questions about a term or concept?