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Odysseas

One image One proof

Odysseas is a mobile app that certifies the authenticity of a photo at the precise moment it's taken, turning the citizen's image into durable evidence.

About the Project

Technology that builds trust

ODYSSEAS was created by the Action for Civil Society to answer one of the great challenges of our time: how can we trust the digital content we see every day? Through an open platform, the project helps citizens and journalists verify the authenticity of photos and videos in a more transparent and secure way. Its goal is to limit disinformation, protect the truth, and strengthen responsible journalism. With ODYSSEAS, technology becomes a tool of trust, collaboration, and democratic information.

What we do, and why

  1. The crisis of trust

    We live in an era where the image has stopped being proof. AI tools produce convincing deepfakes in seconds, a doctored photo can travel to millions of screens within hours, and the difference between real and fabricated is becoming harder to spot — even for trained eyes. Odysseas was born from exactly this crisis of trust.

  2. Prevention, not pursuit

    Our approach is different from the fake-detectors that arrive after. We intervene before. The moment the citizen takes a photo through the app, capture metadata — time, location, device, cryptographic fingerprint — is bound inseparably to the image, following principles aligned with the open C2PA standard.

  3. Documentation, not censorship

    We're not censorship, we're documentation. Odysseas doesn't decide which photo "can" be published, or which is "true" in a political sense. It provides a tool so that, when you need to defend an image — in a courtroom, a newsroom, or a classroom — you can do so with digital certainty.

  4. Who we build for

    We serve citizens documenting everyday life, journalists working in demanding fields, civil-society organisations recording rights violations, and educators teaching the next generation to read images critically.

— A working principle —

Ethical Combat Fake News

A link in a European chain

Odysseas is part of PLATO, a three-year European programme (January 2025 – January 2028) that supports civil society in Greece and Cyprus through sub-grants, training, and institutional capacity-building.

PLATO's first call focuses specifically on civic space and media freedom. Odysseas is one of the sub-actions under this call: a concrete technology tool that puts the citizen at the centre of the fight against disinformation.

The programme is coordinated by the Bodossaki Foundation in partnership with the NGO Support Centre Cyprus.

Duration
2025 — 2028
Three-year programme
European Union
90%
CERV programme
Bodossaki Foundation
10%
Co-funding
See all our implementation partners

The small print

  1. What is Odysseas?

    Odysseas is a mobile app that lets citizens, journalists, and civil-society organisations take photos that are automatically certified as authentic at the moment of capture. Its purpose is to shield the citizen's image against disinformation, deepfakes, and malicious editing.

  2. How can I download the app?

    The app is available free on Android via Google Play. You can install it from the "Get the app" link on the page.

  3. How is a photo's authenticity guaranteed?

    At the moment of capture, the app binds the image to a cryptographic hash along with capture metadata: time, optional GPS, and device details. Our approach is aligned with the open C2PA standard, so that any subsequent tampering is detectable.

  4. What data is recorded in my photo?

    Only what is strictly necessary for certification: capture time, optional GPS, device model, and a cryptographic hash of the image. Your name, ID, or contact details are never embedded in the photo unless you explicitly choose to include them.

  5. Is it free to use?

    Yes. Odysseas is and will remain free for all citizens. The project is funded by the European Union and the Bodossaki Foundation under the PLATO programme, with no subscriptions or hidden fees.

  6. Who funds Odysseas?

    Odysseas is funded 90% by the European Union through the CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) programme and 10% by the Bodossaki Foundation. The project is part of PLATO (2025–2028), coordinated by the Bodossaki Foundation in partnership with the NGO Support Centre Cyprus.

  7. How is my privacy protected?

    We fully respect the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We do not collect unnecessary personal data, we do not use cookies or analytics at this stage of the project, and your photos remain yours. You decide if and where to share them. See the full Privacy Policy for details.

  8. How can I give feedback?

    We want to hear from you. Email us or write via the Contact page. All feedback is reviewed carefully and many user suggestions find their way into future releases.

Want to know
more?

See how the app works or get in touch with us.