| Developer | The Guardian Project, WITNESS |
|---|---|
| Released | 2010 |
| Latest release version | 5.0.0-beta-1 |
| Latest release date | 24 July 2021 (age 5)[1] |
| Repo | github.com/guardianproject/ObscuraCam |
| Operating system | Android |
| License | GNU GPLv3 |
| Website | guardianproject.info/apps/org.witness.sscphase1 |
ObscuraCam is an Android application developed by Guardian Project and WITNESS. It anonymizes pictures and videos by editing faces and deleting metadata.
Overview
ObscuraCam is an Android application developed by the Guardian Project and WITNESS and released in 2010.[2] It was released under GPL-3.0 license and available for download on Google Play and F-Droid.[3] The program was created to help human rights groups, activists, and journalists anonymize pictures and videos. It was largely funded by Google.[4] The app is part of SecureSmartCam project.[5]
Functionality
ObscuraCam allows the user to anonymize pictures and videos.[6][7] The program automatically identifies faces and pixelates, applies a Groucho Marx-style disguise, blurs or erases them completely. In case the face detectionalgorithm fails, it is possible to manually select the face and disguise it. It also erases all exif metadata from the archives and stores them in a special folder.[8][9]
The first version of the app was only capable of bluring pictures. The second version was also capable of editing videos.[5]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Knight News Challenge | [10] |
See also
References
- ^ "ObscuraCam 5.0.0-beta-1". GitHub. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "_ObscureCam: Secure Smart Camera". MIT Open Documentary Lab. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "ObscuraCam: The Privacy Camera". Guardian Project. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Ungerleider, Neal (29 June 2011). "Photo Anonymizer App Helps Protect Dissidents, Hide Your Epic Bro-Downs". Fast Company. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Ungerleider, Neal (26 March 2012). "How ObscuraCam Makes Your Videos Safe". Fast Company. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Kofman, Ava (21 September 2017). "Taser Wants to Build an Army of Smartphone Informants". The Intercept. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ "ObscuraCam: partilhar videos e fotos protegendo identidade e localização" (in Portuguese). Tek Notícias. 27 January 2018. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Gregory, Sam (25 February 2026). "It's Far Too Hard to Anonymize Video–We Have to Do Better". Wired. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Ruddock, David (29 June 2011). "New App: ObscuraCam Automatically Detects, Blurs Faces And Strips Metadata From Your Photos". Android Police. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ^ Everts, Desiree (17 January 2013). "Knight News Challenge Winners Rethink Mobile News". Mediashift. Archived 16 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2026.