HTMLTrust

Cryptographic authorship and a reader-controlled trust network for the open web

Use Cases

How publishers, researchers, and civic information services can use HTMLTrust.

· Signed

HTMLTrust is a flexible framework for content verification. Below are scenarios where cryptographic content signing and verification add real value, organized by audience.

Journalism and news media

Problem. Readers need to verify that news content comes from legitimate journalists and organizations. Misinformation spreads rapidly without source attribution.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • News organizations sign articles at publication time
  • Readers see verification indicators in their browser
  • Content tracking via trust directories identifies unauthorized republishing
  • Fact-checkers can verify content sources and issue endorsed corrections

Academic publishing

Problem. Research integrity depends on verifiable provenance. Plagiarism detection is difficult when original authorship cannot be proven.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • Researchers sign papers and datasets with institutional or personal keys
  • Timestamped signatures establish priority of discovery
  • Plagiarism detection systems check against signature databases
  • Peer reviewers issue signed endorsements

Social media and content platforms

Problem. Content creators lose attribution when work is shared across platforms. Bot-generated content is hard to distinguish from authentic posts.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • Creators sign original content; the signature verifies at its publication origin, and the content hash lets a re-shared copy be traced back to that original
  • Platforms can display verification status alongside content
  • Users filter by verification status
  • Moderation systems gain additional trust signals

E-commerce

Problem. Consumers need to verify authentic product information and reviews.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • Manufacturers sign official product descriptions
  • Review platforms verify reviewer authenticity
  • Consumers can distinguish verified from unverified information at a glance

Government and civic information

Problem. Citizens need to verify that communications come from official sources, especially during elections and emergencies.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • Government agencies sign official web content
  • Browsers display verification status for government communications
  • Regulatory documentation is cryptographically verifiable, not just on the right domain

AI training and content rights

Problem. Content creators need mechanisms to express preferences about how their content is used for AI training.

How HTMLTrust helps:

  • Signed metadata includes explicit AI training preferences
  • Content hashes enable tracking of content usage across the web
  • Cryptographic signatures bind a training preference to the signed content region

Getting started

To explore HTMLTrust for your use case:

  1. Read the specification to understand the technical foundation
  2. Review the system architecture for integration patterns
  3. Browse the reference implementations for your platform
  4. Get in touch at jason@jason-grey.com to discuss your specific needs