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Aliases for Privacy

Here's a question that comes up constantly: "If I verify my identity, doesn't that mean I lose my privacy?" The assumption behind this question is that identity and privacy are opposites. That you must choose one or the other. We built not.bot to prove that assumption wrong. The False Choice For decades, the internet has forced users into a binary decision: Option A: Full Identity Use your real name, verify your government ID, link your accounts. Platforms know exactly who you are. You get access to features that require trust. But you have zero privacy. Option B: Full Anonymity Use a pseudonym, reveal nothing. You get privacy. But you also get treated as suspicious. No verification badge. Limited features. And you're swimming in a sea of bots using the same anonymity to wreak havoc. This binary choice has defined online identity for 30 years. And it's a false choice. Why Privacy and Verification Aren't Opposites The key insight of personhood credentials is that you can prove facts without revealing details. "I am a real, unique human" is a fact. "My name is John Smith, I live at 123 Main Street" is a detail. Cryptographic verification can prove the first without ever revealing the second. You don't need to know who I am to know that I'm a real person and not the 500th bot account created this hour. This is the foundation of not.bot's alias system. How Aliases Work not.bot allows you to create and manage multiple aliases—all backed by a single verified human identity. Your verified identity: Confirms you're a real, unique human Established once during initial verification Never shared with platforms or other users Cannot be duplicated (one person, one verification) Your aliases: Pseudonymous identities you create Can be used on different platforms Unlinkable to each other (unless you choose to link them) Each proves "verified human" without proving "which human" Think of it like having multiple email addresses. Your personal email, your work email, your throwaway email for signups. They're all you—but compartmentalized based on context. not.bot aliases work the same way, except each one also proves you're a verified human. Use Cases for Aliases The Creator You have a professional persona and a personal one. You don't want your gaming reviews linked to your LinkedIn presence. With not.bot: Different aliases for different contexts. Both verified as human. Neither linked to each other unless you choose to link them. The Whistleblower You want to expose wrongdoing at your company. You need credibility—random anonymous tips get ignored. But you can't reveal your identity without risking retaliation. With not.bot: Create an alias. Your posts are verified as coming from a real human (credibility). But your identity remains protected (safety). The Job Seeker You want to participate in industry discussions and build credibility. But you don't want your current employer to know you're job hunting. With not.bot: Use an alias in relevant communities. You're clearly a real professional (verified human), but your current employment status stays private. The Domestic Violence Survivor You need to engage online—for community, for work, for basic services. But you can't risk your abuser finding you. With not.bot: Verified presence without location or identity exposure. You exist online safely. The Dating App User You want matches to know you're real (not a catfish, not a bot). But you don't want to share your full name until you're comfortable. With not.bot: Verified as human on your profile. Real name shared only when you're ready. The Technical Foundation Aliases work because of how cryptographic verification operates. When you verify with not.bot, we confirm you're a unique human. This creates a cryptographic root identity—a mathematical proof of your personhood. Aliases are derived from this root identity in a way that: Proves connection to a verified human (without revealing which one) Prevents linkage between aliases (unless you explicitly link them) Allows selective disclosure (reveal more if you choose, but never forced) This is multiparty computation in action. Proving facts without revealing data. Privacy When You Want It, Publicity When You Don't The real power of aliases isn't just privacy. It's control. Sometimes, like with social media, you want to be anonymous. A verified alias handles that. Sometimes, like for work, you want to be public. Connect your alias to your real name and build reputation. Sometimes you want selective disclosure. Reveal your profession but not your employer. Reveal your city but not your address. Reveal your age range but not your birthday. not.bot doesn't force a single mode. It gives you the tools to navigate digital identity on your terms. What This Means for the Future As governments worldwide push for online identity verification, the question of privacy becomes urgent. The heavy-handed approach: "Scan your ID to post online. No privacy. Full surveillance." The not.bot approach: "Prove you're human. Keep your privacy. Engage on your terms." Both verify. But only one respects autonomy. Aliases aren't a workaround or a loophole. They're a fundamental feature of privacy-preserving verification. They're how we prove the "identity vs privacy" choice was always false. You shouldn't have to choose between being verified and being private. With not.bot aliases, you don't have to. Privacy by default. Share only when necessary. Control always.

5 February 2026

The Brand Impersonation Crisis: They're Not Just Stealing Your Identity—They're Stealing Your Customers

$835 million. That's how much scammers stole from 396,000 Americans in just nine months of 2025—using fake customer service numbers impersonating major companies. That's an 18% increase from 2024. And it's accelerating. Welcome to the brand impersonation crisis. It's Not Just Big Tech Anymore The playbook used to be simple: create a fake login page, harvest credentials. That was phishing 1.0. Now it's evolved into something far more sophisticated. Criminals are creating entire fake customer service operations, complete with: AI-generated phone agents that sound indistinguishable from real support staff Deepfake video representatives for "premium" support escalations Fake branded websites with AI-generated product photos that look legitimate Counterfeit social media accounts responding to customer complaints Large retail chains now report receiving more than 1,000 AI bot calls per day from fake customer service operations impersonating their brand. The Anatomy of a Brand Hijack Here's how a typical brand impersonation attack works in 2026: Step 1: The Hook Scammers purchase Google ads for "[Your Brand] customer service" or "[Your Brand] support number." When frustrated customers search for help, they find the fake number first. Step 2: The Deepfake When customers call, they're greeted by an AI voice clone that sounds exactly like your brand's customer service style. Some operations even use real-time deepfake video for "video support calls." Step 3: The Extraction The fake agent "verifies" the customer's identity by asking for account numbers, Social Security digits, or payment information. By the time customers realize something's wrong, the damage is done. Step 4: The Ripple Effect Angry customers blame your brand. They post negative reviews. They dispute charges. They tell their friends. Your reputation takes the hit for fraud you didn't commit. Why This Is an Existential Threat Pindrop's research found that 3 in 10 retail fraud attempts are now AI-generated. This isn't a fringe problem—it's the new normal. The business impact goes beyond direct fraud losses: Customer trust collapse: Once burned by a fake support call, customers question every interaction with your brand Reputation damage: Review sites fill with complaints about "your" terrible service Support costs explode: Real support teams spend hours explaining to customers they were scammed Legal exposure: Depending on jurisdiction, brands may face liability questions for inadequate consumer protection And here's the terrifying part: the tools to do this are now available as a service. Deepfake-as-a-Service Changes Everything According to Cyble's research, AI-powered deepfakes were involved in over 30% of high-impact corporate impersonation attacks in 2025. This isn't nation-state attackers—it's organized crime using subscription services. For as little as a few hundred dollars, criminals can now: Clone any voice from public audio samples Generate real-time deepfake video calls Create convincing branded content at scale Automate entire fraud operations The barrier to entry has collapsed. Anyone with a credit card can impersonate your brand. Real-Time Deepfakes: The New Frontier The most alarming development? Real-time deepfakes during live interactions. Unlike pre-rendered fake videos, real-time deepfakes allow fraudsters to improvise, adapt, and respond naturally during conversations. They're not reading scripts—they're conducting actual conversations while wearing a synthetic face. Veriff's 2025 Identity Fraud Report found that deepfake attacks now drive 1 in every 20 identity verification failures. The technology is good enough to fool both humans and many automated systems. What Can Brands Do? Traditional security approaches—website monitoring, trademark enforcement, customer education—are necessary but insufficient. Here's what actually works: 1. Verifiable Brand Communications Every official communication from your brand should carry cryptographic proof of authenticity. When customers receive a message, they should be able to verify it came from you—not just assume it did. 2. Kill the Phone Number Game Stop relying on phone numbers as your primary support channel. Numbers can be spoofed, cloned, and impersonated. Move to authenticated digital channels where identity can be verified. 3. Educate Proactively Don't wait for customers to get scammed. Tell them explicitly: "We will never ask for your password. We will never call from this number. Here's how to verify you're talking to us." 4. Monitor Your Brand Continuously Use services that scan for fake support pages, fraudulent ads, and impersonation accounts. The faster you find them, the faster you can get them taken down. 5. Embrace Cryptographic Identity The long-term solution is building verification into the foundation of brand-customer interactions. When customers can mathematically verify, through a not.bot signature, that they're talking to the real you, impersonation becomes impossible. The Future of Brand Trust FTC data shows Americans lost nearly $3 billion to impersonation scams in 2024, with these scams among the top fraud categories. And 2026 projections suggest hybrid scams combining impersonation with ransomware. The brand impersonation crisis isn't slowing down. It's evolving faster than most companies can respond. But there's a path forward. When every legitimate brand communication carries cryptographic proof of authenticity, the impersonators have nowhere to hide. Because in a world where anyone can fake being you, the only defense is proof that can't be faked. Sources WebProNews: Scammers Steal $835M via Fake Service Lines Cyble: Brand Impersonation 2025 Threats and 2026 Outlook Fisher Phillips: Top 7 AI-Generated Retail Scams 2026 Veriff: Real-time Deepfake Fraud 2025 Cyble: Deepfake-as-a-Service Exploded in 2025

4 February 2026

Personhood Credentials (PHC) Academic Research

This week we've been diving deep into personhood credentials—what they are, what makes a good one, and how not.bot implements them. Today we're stepping back to look at the broader academic landscape. Researchers at MIT, Stanford, Microsoft, OpenAI, and dozens of other institutions are actively working on this problem. There's also been criticism, including some sharp concerns from privacy advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Let's examine both sides. The Academic Case for Personhood Credentials The comprehensive paper "Personhood Credentials" published in August 2024 represents a collaboration between researchers from: MIT Microsoft Research OpenAI Stanford University UC Berkeley And several other leading institutions Their core argument: As AI becomes capable of impersonating humans at scale, we need a new category of credential that proves humanness without compromising privacy. Key Findings from the Research 1. The AI Impersonation Problem is Real and Growing The paper documents how AI systems can now: Generate realistic text that passes human evaluation Create convincing synthetic faces and voices Automate social engineering at scale Pass traditional verification methods (including CAPTCHAs) This isn't theoretical. It's happening everyday, right now. 2. Traditional Identity Systems Are Insufficient Government IDs weren't designed for the digital age. They either: Require full identity disclosure (no privacy) Are easily forged or stolen (no security) Don't prove humanness (just identity) 3. Detection-Based Approaches Are Failing The researchers note the fundamental asymmetry we discussed earlier: generators learn from failures while detectors can't learn from successes. This makes detection a losing battle. 4. Personhood Credentials Offer a Solution PHCs can: Prove humanness without revealing identity Be cryptographically verified Scale to internet-wide usage Preserve user autonomy and privacy The academic consensus is clear: we need proof of personhood, and privacy-preserving approaches are preferable to surveillance-based alternatives. The Critics: EFF's "Dystopian" Concerns Not everyone agrees. The Electronic Frontier Foundation published a critical response titled "Dystopian Tech Concept" about personhood credentials. Their concerns are worth taking seriously: Concern 1: Government Control "What happens when governments mandate these credentials?" This is a legitimate worry. If personhood credentials become mandatory government-issued IDs, they could enable surveillance rather than prevent it. Our response: The academic paper specifically calls for a "marketplace of issuers"—multiple competing providers, not government monopoly. not.bot is designed as a voluntary tool, not a government mandate. The architecture prevents government control because we don't centralize data that governments could subpoena. Concern 2: Exclusion of Vulnerable Groups "People without smartphones, without stable addresses, without traditional ID—they'd be locked out." Valid concern. Any credential system could create new forms of exclusion. Our response: not.bot works on any smartphone and doesn't require a permanent address or government ID after initial verification. We're actively working on accessibility for underserved populations. The alternative—a world where bots dominate and no human verification exists—also harms vulnerable groups who are disproportionately targeted by fraud. Concern 3: Weaponization Against Dissidents "Authoritarian governments could use this to suppress anonymous speech." A serious concern with historical precedent. Our response: This is precisely why architecture matters. not.bot's design: Doesn't require linking aliases to real identities Allows anonymous verified participation Can't be used to unmask users (even by us) Operates independently of government systems A well-designed PHC system protects dissidents. A poorly-designed one endangers them. The implementation details are everything. Concern 4: Mission Creep "It starts as 'prove you're human' and ends as 'prove your worthiness to participate.'" This is the slippery slope argument, and it has some validity. Our response: This is why the governance requirements matter. A PHC system should only prove humanness—not worthiness, not identity, not anything beyond the binary question "is there a real human behind this?" Any system that expands beyond this is no longer a personhood credential—it's an identity system or a reputation system, which are different things with different tradeoffs. Where not.bot Stands We take these criticisms seriously because they're serious. Here's how our design addresses each concern: Concern not.bot's Architectural Response Government control Decentralized; no government partnership; user-controlled credentials Exclusion Smartphone-only; no address required; working on accessibility Weaponization Multiparty computation; unlinkable aliases; we can't unmask users Mission creep Binary proof of humanness only; no reputation, no worthiness tests We're not building a surveillance system that happens to prove humanness. We're building a privacy system that happens to verify humanness. The order matters. What the Research Gets Right Both the advocates and critics are responding to the same underlying reality: the internet is facing a trust crisis, and current solutions aren't working. The researchers are right that: AI impersonation is a real and growing daily threat Detection-based approaches are failing We need new categories of verification Privacy-preserving approaches are preferable The critics are right that: Implementation details matter enormously Poorly-designed systems could enable surveillance Governance and accountability are critical Vulnerable populations must be considered The question isn't whether to build personhood credentials. It's how to build them correctly. The Path Forward The academic community is converging on a set of principles for responsible PHC development: Privacy by default — Zero-knowledge proofs, not identity exposure User control — Credentials controlled by users, not issuers Multiple issuers — No single point of control or failure Voluntary adoption — Tools, not mandates Accessibility — Available to all, not just the privileged Transparency — Open standards, auditable implementations Accountability — Clear governance and recourse mechanisms These principles distinguish helpful verification systems from harmful surveillance systems. Not.bot was designed around these principles from the start. Not because we read the papers first—but because building for privacy and user control led us to the same conclusions the researchers reached. The academic debate over personhood credentials isn't about whether they're needed. It's about how to build them responsibly. The critics raise valid concerns. The researchers provide valid solutions. The key is implementation that takes both seriously. We built not.bot to be the answer that addresses the concerns and delivers the benefits. Sources Personhood Credentials: Academic Paper (arXiv) Venn Factory - Personhood: The Killer Credential The Register - AI Personhood Credentials: Dystopian Tech Concept

3 February 2026

What not.bot Doesn't Know

Most companies tell you what they know about you. Most privacy policies are lists of data collected about you. We're going to do something different. We're going to tell you what we don't know about you. Because in a world where hacks, breaches and data leaks are common, what a company doesn't collect matters more than what they promise not to share. What not.bot Doesn't Know We don't know your name. During verification, we confirm you're a real human. We don't need your name to do this. We don't store it. We don't want it. We don't know your email address or phone number. These are the most commonly-used identifiers for tracking you across the internet. It seems benign: "This company may need to contact me. I should give them a way to do so." But your contact info is also the easiest, most convenient way to track you. We don't know where you've been. We don't track which platforms you use, which websites you visit, or which communities you join. Your not.bot is yours to use as you wish, without being tracked. We don't know who you talk to. We don't ask for your contacts, and we don't track who you interact with. Your social graph is invisible to us. We verify you as human. What you do with that verification is your business. We don't know your address. Your physical location is irrelevant to proving you're human. We don't collect it, infer it, or track it. We don't know your face. Many verification systems rely on facial recognition or other biometrics. We don't. Your face is yours. We don't know your browsing history. We don't use tracking cookies. We don't buy data from brokers. We don't piece together your interests from your online behavior. We don't know which alias is which. If you use multiple aliases, we can't tell which one you're using where. That's by design. The proper term is unlinkability and we take it seriously. How Is This Possible? The technology that makes this possible is called multiparty computation (MPC). MPC is a type of privacy-preserving cryptography that lets two computers, like your phone and our servers, work together to accomplish a common goal, like verifying that you're human, without sharing information that each computer keeps secret. Example: I can prove I'm over 21 without showing you my driver's license (which reveals my exact age, my address, my full name, my photo). not.bot uses this approach throughout: Prove you're human without revealing your identity Prove you're unique without revealing which unique person Prove your alias is valid without revealing which alias is yours The math doesn't require trust. It's verifiable. It's not "trust us, we won't look." It's "we mathematically cannot look." Why This Matters Most tech companies optimize for data collection. More data = more valuable ads = more revenue. This creates a structural incentive to know everything about you. Even "privacy-focused" companies often collect data "for improvement" or "security" that they could choose not to collect. We built not.bot without advertising. Without data brokering. Our revenue model and market differentiation actually depends on not knowing who you are. What We Do Know For transparency, here's what we do need: We know a unique human exists. This is the core function. We need to confirm that a not.bot maps to a real, unique person. For now, we have you scan the NFC chip in your passport. More ways of verifying that you're a unique person are planned. We know when verification occurred. Timestamps for the credential issuance are necessary for validity periods. That's it. The minimal information necessary for verification to work, and nothing more. The Future of Privacy The conversation around privacy usually focuses on what companies promise not to do with your data. We think the conversation should shift to what companies choose not to collect in the first place. Minimization > Promises. Architecture > Policy. Cryptographic impossibility > Contractual commitment. This is what privacy looks like when it's built in from the start—not bolted on as an afterthought. What we don't know about you is the point. Not because we're careless. Because we designed it that way. Verification without surveillance. Proof without exposure. Trust without data. That's not.bot.

20 January 2026

Personhood Credentials: The Killer Credential for the AI Age

There's an academic term for what we're building at not.bot. Researchers at MIT, Stanford, Microsoft, and OpenAI have been studying a concept called Personhood Credentials (PHCs)—digital tokens that prove you're a real human without revealing who you are. And according to a comprehensive analysis by Venn Factory, not.bot meets essentially every desired requirement for a personhood credential system. It's the only technology currently doing so. Let's break down what this means. What Are Personhood Credentials? A personhood credential is a digital proof that: Confirms you're a real, unique human (not a bot, not a synthetic identity) Preserves your privacy (doesn't reveal your name, location, or other identifying details) Can't be duplicated or shared (one credential per human) Works across platforms (not locked to a single service) Think of it as a digital "I'm human" badge that you control. Unlike traditional identity verification—which requires you to hand over your driver's license, passport, or biometric data—personhood credentials use cryptographic proofs. You prove the fact (you're human) without revealing the details (who you are). Why This Matters Now Yesterday we wrote about how AI agents can now casually bypass CAPTCHAs. That's just the tip of the iceberg. The internet is facing an existential trust problem: 73% of web traffic is bots or fraud farms 80% of US identity fraud is synthetic (AI-generated) AI agents can impersonate humans across text, voice, and video Traditional verification (CAPTCHAs, ID checks, biometric scans) either fails or invades privacy The old choices were binary: either verify your identity (and sacrifice privacy) or stay anonymous (and get flooded by bots). Personhood credentials break this false dichotomy. You can prove you're human AND maintain privacy. The Academic Foundation A comprehensive paper published in August 2024 by researchers from MIT, Microsoft, OpenAI, and several major universities laid out the requirements for effective personhood credential systems. The key requirements include: Privacy Requirements: Zero-knowledge verification (prove facts without revealing data) No biometrics required for daily use Unlinkable across services (can't track you between platforms) Right to be forgotten Security Requirements: Sybil resistance (can't create multiple fake identities) Secure credential storage Resistance to credential theft Usability Requirements: Works offline Accessible globally Doesn't require expensive hardware Governance Requirements: Marketplace of issuers (not controlled by any single government or corporation) Transparent operation Accountability mechanisms What Makes not.bot Different not.bot is designed from the ground up to meet these requirements. Privacy-First Architecture: Your cryptographic signature proves you're human without exposing your identity You control when, where, and how to use your verification No biometric data required after initial verification Aliases let you engage publicly or privately Decentralized by Design: Not controlled by any single government Not locked to any single platform Your credential travels with you Practical Implementation: Works on standard smartphones No special hardware required Simple enough for everyday use Most importantly: you own your verification. It's not rented from a platform. It's not stored in a corporate database. It's yours. The Alternative: A Surveillance Future Without privacy-preserving personhood credentials, the trajectory is clear. Governments worldwide are mandating identity verification: The US is considering the GUARD Act (requiring ID scans to use AI) Australia now requires age verification for social media The EU is debating mandatory identity linking for online posts Without a privacy-preserving option, "verification" becomes "surveillance." Personhood credentials offer a third path: verification without surveillance, proof without exposure. Where We Go From Here The concept of personhood credentials isn't just academic theory. It's becoming an urgent practical necessity. As AI agents become indistinguishable from humans online, as synthetic identity fraud explodes, as governments scramble to respond with heavy-handed ID mandates—the need for privacy-preserving human verification grows more critical every day. not.bot is building for this future. A future where you can prove you're human without proving who you are. The era of "trust me, I'm human" is ending. The era of "I can prove I'm human" is beginning. The question is whether that proof will respect your privacy—or destroy it. We chose privacy. Sources Venn Factory - Personhood: The Killer Credential Personhood Credentials: Academic Paper (arXiv) Ars Technica - ChatGPT agent defeats CAPTCHA

12 January 2026

CAPTCHA is Dead. AI Just Casually Clicked Through "I Am Not a Robot."

In July 2025, OpenAI's ChatGPT agent did something that should keep every security professional awake at night. It clicked through a CAPTCHA. Casually. No special prompting. No hacks. It just... passed the test designed to prove you're human. The "I am not a robot" checkbox? Meaningless now. Those distorted letters? Child's play. The "click all the traffic lights" grids? Solved in milliseconds. The test designed to separate humans from bots has failed. The bots won. The Arms Race We Already Lost For over two decades, CAPTCHAs have been the internet's gatekeeper. The assumption was simple: humans can read distorted text and identify images, but machines can't. That assumption is now catastrophically wrong. Here's what happened: 2000s: CAPTCHAs used distorted text. Bots couldn't read it. 2010s: Image recognition improved. CAPTCHAs switched to image puzzles. 2020s: AI vision models surpassed human accuracy. CAPTCHAs became behavioral. 2025: AI agents now mimic human behavior patterns. Game over. OpenAI's ChatGPT agent doesn't just solve CAPTCHAs—it does so while appearing completely human. It pauses naturally. Moves the cursor realistically. Makes the occasional "mistake" that looks authentic. Detection-based security has hit a mathematical wall. 73% of Web Traffic Is Already Bots The CAPTCHA failure isn't happening in isolation. It's part of a larger collapse. According to recent analysis by David Birch: 73% of web and app traffic is now malicious bots or fraud farms 80% of US identity fraud is synthetic identity fraud (AI-generated) $5 billion lost annually to synthetic identity fraud alone 40% of reported crime in the UK is fraud-related Only 1 in 6 fraud incidents are ever reported These numbers are staggering. And they're getting worse because the fundamental approach—trying to detect what's fake—doesn't work anymore. Why Detection Always Fails There's a mathematical asymmetry built into every detection system: Generators get feedback. Detectors don't. When an AI generates fake content and it fails, it learns why. The detector's rejection provides training data for the next attempt. But when a fake passes detection, the detector has no idea it failed. It can't learn from its mistakes because it doesn't know it made them. This is why deepfake detection tools plateau at 70-80% accuracy while generation quality keeps improving. It's why spam filters are in an endless arms race with spam generators. And it's why CAPTCHAs were always destined to fail. The generator sees every game, learns from every play. The defender only sees their wins. Detection is structurally disadvantaged. Always. From Detection to Verification Here's the fundamental question every security system must answer: How do you prove someone is who they claim to be? For decades, we tried to answer this by detecting fakes. If you passed the CAPTCHA, you weren't a bot. If the email didn't match spam patterns, it was legitimate. If the video looked real, the person was real. This approach has failed. The alternative isn't better detection. It's cryptographic verification. Instead of asking "does this look real?" we ask "can you prove it's real?" A deepfake video looks real. But the person in it can't cryptographically prove they recorded it. An AI agent passes a CAPTCHA. But it can't cryptographically prove it's tied to a verified human identity. A synthetic identity looks authentic. But it can't cryptographically prove it was created by a real person. The shift is from probabilistic detection to mathematical proof. What This Means for You If you're relying on CAPTCHAs to: Prevent bot signups Stop automated attacks Verify users are human Protect your forms and APIs Those protections are already compromised. The AI agents that can bypass CAPTCHAs aren't theoretical. They're deployed. They're operational. And they're getting better every day. The question isn't whether to move to verification-based security. The question is how fast you can make the transition. The era of "prove you're not a robot" is over. The new era is "prove you're you." Detection failed because we were asking the wrong question. We were trying to catch fakes instead of confirming authenticity. not.bot approaches this differently. We don't try to detect whether you're human. We let you prove it—cryptographically, privately, and in a way that can't be spoofed by the most sophisticated AI. Because when AI agents can casually click "I am not a robot," only mathematical proof remains reliable. Sources Ars Technica - OpenAI's ChatGPT agent casually clicks through 'I am not a robot' verification test David Birch - Fraud is Out of Control: The Payments Industry Needs to Collaborate Venn Factory - Personhood: The Killer Credential

11 January 2026

Your CEO Can Be Cloned in 3 Seconds. Your CFO Already Has Been.

In March 2025, a finance director in Singapore joined what seemed like a routine Zoom call with senior leadership. The CFO was there. Other executives too. They discussed an urgent fund transfer. The finance director authorized a $499,000 payment. None of those executives were real. Every face on that video call was a deepfake. This isn't science fiction. It's happening every day. And the losses are staggering. The Numbers Don't Lie $200 million+ lost to AI-generated executive impersonation in Q1 2025 alone 400 companies per day targeted by CEO fraud attempts 3,000% surge in deepfake attacks against businesses since 2023 680% increase in voice cloning fraud in the past year The most infamous case? A Hong Kong finance worker transferred $25 million after a video call with what they believed was their CFO and colleagues. The attackers had created deepfakes using publicly available footage from earnings calls and company videos. Why Finance Teams Are the #1 Target Unlike other departments, finance teams can move money directly. They have authority to approve wire transfers. They handle urgent transactions regularly. Attackers know this. And here's the terrifying part: creating a convincing voice clone requires just 3 seconds of audio. Three seconds. That's less than a typical greeting. Where do criminals get that audio? Earnings calls (public) Investor conferences (public) YouTube videos (public) LinkedIn voice posts (public) Podcast appearances (public) Every CFO who has ever spoken publicly has given attackers everything they need. The $25 Million Call That Wasn't Hong Kong police investigating the Arup case discovered how sophisticated the attack was. The perpetrators: Scraped public video and audio from online conferences Built deepfake models of multiple executives Created a fake video call where multiple fake executives were present Applied social engineering pressure with an "urgent" request Walked away with $25 million The finance worker who approved the transfer had no reason to doubt what they saw. The faces matched. The voices matched. The request seemed legitimate. This is what trust collapse looks like. Why AI Detection Can't Save You Some companies think AI detection tools will solve this. They won't. Here's the problem: in controlled studies, human accuracy at identifying high-quality deepfake videos drops to just 24.5%. Yet 60% of people believe they could spot a fake. This confidence is completely unfounded. And AI detection tools? They're in an arms race they're losing. As soon as detection improves, deepfake generation adapts. It's a technological stalemate at best. The solution isn't better detection. It's better verification. The New Security Protocol Forward-thinking companies are implementing what we call "cryptographic trust infrastructure": 1. Kill the single point of authority No single person should be able to authorize large transfers based on a video call. Period. 2. Out-of-band verification If someone requests a transfer via video, verify through a completely separate channel. Call them back on a known number. Send a verification code through internal systems. 3. Proof-based identity verification This is where not.bot comes in. Instead of trusting what you see and hear, verify identity through cryptographic proof that can't be faked. When someone claims to be your CFO, you don't trust the pixels on your screen. You verify their identity mathematically. The Future Is Verification, Not Detection The deepfake arms race will only intensify. By 2026, deepfake-as-a-service platforms will make these attacks available to anyone with a credit card. The question isn't whether your organization will face a deepfake attack. It's whether you'll be ready. Detection assumes you can spot the fake. That's a losing bet. Verification assumes nothing you see is real until proven otherwise. That's the only winning strategy. Your voice is now a credential that can be stolen. It's time to treat identity verification with the same rigor you treat your financial controls. Because if your CFO can be cloned in 3 seconds, the question isn't if you'll be targeted—it's when. Sources CNN - Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake CFO CFO Dive - Scammers siphon $25M from Arup via AI deepfake CFO Tookitaki - The Deepfake Deception: $499K Singapore Case Cyble - Deepfake-as-a-Service Exploded in 2025 DeepStrike - Deepfake Statistics 2025 Brightside AI - Deepfake CEO Fraud: $50M Voice Cloning Threat

11 January 2026

not.bot in the News: Three Publications Explore the Authenticity Crisis

This week, three publications dove deep into a question that's becoming impossible to ignore: How do we rebuild trust online when bots now outnumber humans? The answer they found isn't more surveillance. It's better verification. The Problem Is Bigger Than You Think IT Business Net's coverage opened with a startling fact: automated agents now outnumber people online. This isn't a future prediction—it's the current state of the internet. The implications are staggering: Over 50% of Americans get their news from social media, making feed trustworthiness essential to civic discourse Coordinated bot campaigns can destroy brand reputations overnight through fake reviews Business metrics become meaningless when you can't separate human engagement from bot activity University of Zurich researchers found bots were more effective than humans at changing Reddit users' opinions—and people couldn't tell the difference This is the "dead internet theory" becoming reality. When bots can persuade us better than humans can, and we can't tell them apart, the foundation of online trust collapses. Why AI Detection Isn't the Answer Before It's News explored how current solutions are failing. Foreign actors distribute deepfakes to influence elections. Troll farms sow confusion. And traditional ID verification systems create "honeypots" of personal data waiting to be breached. The article highlighted a fundamental problem: any system that stores your personal information becomes a target. That's why not.bot took a radically different approach. Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Privacy AND Verification Both publications explored how not.bot uses cryptographic verification to prove you're human without revealing who you are. Here's how it works: NFC chip verification: The US passport contains an NFC microchip with encrypted data signed by the State Department. This makes forgery virtually impossible—unlike photo-based ID verification. Zero-knowledge proofs: Instead of storing your identity, not.bot creates mathematical proofs that you're a verified human. The proof is valid, but reveals nothing about you. Device-only storage: Your passport data stays on your phone. Nothing personal ever leaves your device. Fresh proofs every time: Each verification creates a new proof, preventing bot reuse while blocking cross-platform tracking. As IT Business Net put it: "Users control their digital identity on their device, and nothing personal leaves during regular use." The Alias System: Be Anyone, Be Verified One of the most innovative features covered was the alias system. You can create multiple anonymous identities—each cryptographically verified as human, but with no connection traceable back to you. These aliases can't be transferred or sold because they require private keys stored only on your device. This means: Content creators can have verified accounts without doxxing themselves Whistleblowers can prove they're real humans while staying anonymous Dating app users can verify their humanity without exposing personal details It's recognizability without linkability. Verification without surveillance. What This Means for You The coverage this week validates what we've been building: a new model for digital identity that doesn't trade privacy for trust. When you see a not.bot sticker—that QR code on someone's profile or content—you know: A real human created it Their identity was cryptographically verified No personal data was harvested in the process In a world where bots outnumber humans and deepfakes fool experts, this kind of proof matters. The authenticity crisis is global. So is our solution. Read the full coverage: IT Business Net: "Protecting Digital Spaces in a Bot-Driven World" Before It's News: "Protecting Authenticity in the Age of AI with not.bot" Re-thinking the Future: "The Future of Privacy in Digital Identiy Verification"

9 January 2026

Why Detection Always Fails: The Mathematical Asymmetry You Can't Beat

Here's a truth that most security vendors won't tell you: detection-based security is mathematically doomed. Not eventually doomed. Not doomed if AI gets smarter. Structurally doomed from day one. There's a fundamental asymmetry built into every detection system that guarantees generators will win over time. Understanding this asymmetry is the key to understanding why verification is the only path forward. The Numbers Right Now Let's start with where we are today. According to fraud researcher David Birch: 73% of web and app traffic is now malicious bots or fraud farms 80% of US identity fraud is synthetic identity fraud (AI-generated) $5 billion lost annually to synthetic identity fraud alone 40% of reported crime in the UK is fraud-related Only 1 in 6 fraud incidents are ever reported These numbers are staggering. And they're getting worse every year. Why? Because detection can't keep up with generation. The Asymmetry Problem Here's the mathematical truth at the heart of every detection system: Generators get feedback. Detectors don't. When a generator (a bot, a deepfake creator, an AI agent) tries to pass detection and fails, it learns exactly why. The rejection message, the error code, the behavior that triggered detection—all of this becomes training data for the next attempt. When a generator tries to pass detection and succeeds, the detector has no idea it failed. It can't learn from mistakes it doesn't know it made. Think about what this means: The attacker sees every game played—wins and losses The defender only sees their wins Over time, attackers learn from every failure while defenders are blind to their failures. The system improves on one side only. This isn't a fixable bug. It's a structural feature of how detection works. Why Deepfake Detection Plateaus This explains a pattern that frustrates security researchers: why deepfake detection tools plateau at 70-80% accuracy while generation quality keeps improving. Detection tools are trained on known deepfakes. They get good at catching those deepfakes. Then generators learn what detection looks for and avoid it. New deepfakes pass detection. But researchers don't know which ones passed—so they can't train on them. The generator-detector arms race is inherently asymmetric. Generators iterate on failures. Detectors can only iterate on known successes. Why Spam Filters Never Win The same asymmetry explains the endless spam filter arms race. Spam filters catch known spam patterns. Spammers learn which messages get through. They generate more messages like the successful ones. But the filter doesn't know which spam got through—only which it caught. After decades, spam remains a massive problem. Not because filter developers are incompetent, but because the asymmetry can't be engineered away. Why CAPTCHAs Died CAPTCHAs are the purest example of detection failure. CAPTCHAs got harder. Users got frustrated. Bots got smarter. Eventually AI could pass CAPTCHAs more reliably than tired humans. The arms race was unwinnable because: Every CAPTCHA failure taught AI what to improve Every CAPTCHA pass taught humans nothing about bot success In July 2025, OpenAI's ChatGPT agent casually clicked through "I am not a robot" verification. The detection era is officially over. The False Positive Problem Asymmetry creates another problem: false positives punish real people. To catch more bad actors, you make detection stricter. Stricter detection means more false positives—real humans flagged as bots, legitimate transactions blocked as fraud. These false positives have real costs: Customer friction and abandonment Support ticket overload Reputation damage Lost revenue So you loosen detection. Now more bad actors get through. You're trapped between false positives (hurting real users) and false negatives (missing bad actors). There's no detection threshold that solves this—because the fundamental asymmetry remains. Why "Better AI Detection" Isn't the Answer When people see AI-generated fakes, they often ask: "Can't we just use AI to detect AI?" No. Here's why: Same asymmetry applies — AI detectors face the same feedback problem as any detector Training data poisoning — Generators can be trained specifically to fool detectors Convergent quality — As AI generation improves, generated content becomes statistically indistinguishable from real content Cat and mouse acceleration — AI makes both sides faster, but the asymmetry advantage still favors generation "Better detection" is still detection. The asymmetry doesn't care how sophisticated your detector is. The Alternative: Verification If detection is structurally doomed, what's the alternative? Verification. Instead of asking "does this look real?" we ask "can you prove it's real?" Verification doesn't face the asymmetry problem because: Cryptographic proofs don't degrade — A valid signature is valid forever; there's no "fooling" math No false positive problem — You either have valid proof or you don't No feedback loop — Attackers can't learn to generate valid proofs without the actual credentials A deepfake video can look perfectly real. But the person depicted can't cryptographically prove they recorded it. An AI agent can pass a CAPTCHA. But it can't cryptographically prove it's tied to a verified human identity. A synthetic identity can look authentic. But it can't cryptographically prove it was created by a real person. From Probabilistic to Certain The shift from detection to verification is a shift from probabilistic guessing to mathematical certainty. Detection says: "This is probably real (73% confidence)." Verification says: "This is cryptographically proven real." In a world where AI can generate anything convincingly, probability isn't enough. Only mathematical proof provides reliable ground truth. The arms race between generation and detection is over. Generation won—not because generators got smarter, but because the asymmetry was always in their favor. The future belongs to verification. To cryptographic proof. To systems that don't guess whether something is real, but know. That's what we're building. Sources David Birch - Fraud is Out of Control: The Payments Industry Needs to Collaborate Ars Technica - OpenAI's ChatGPT agent defeats CAPTCHA

14 January 2026

The $25 Million Dollar Deepfake: Why Your Business Needs a New Security Protocol

Content All it takes is three seconds of audio to clone an executive's voice. That's not a future threat. That's today's reality. And bad actors are already using AI to impersonate leadership, creating a massive financial threat that hits your bottom line hard. They can authorize fraudulent wire transfers. They can steal your company's most sensitive data. And they're getting more sophisticated every day. This isn't a PR problem. This is a crisis that could bankrupt your company overnight. The $25 Million Heist Let me tell you about a terrifying heist that should keep every executive awake at night. It started with what looked like a routine request — a video call with senior staff from the UK office. On that call, the employee saw familiar faces, people they worked with and trusted every day, including the company's CFO. The employee followed the instructions exactly as given. They initiated a wire transfer for $25 million. Here's the twist: everyone on that call except for that one employee was a deepfake. By the time anyone realized what happened, $25 million was gone, transferred directly to fraudsters who had perfectly replicated the appearance and voices of the company's senior leadership. If a global firm with sophisticated security can be fooled, how vulnerable is your business? The Solution: A Verification Layer for Business Communications You'd never accept a contract without a signature, right? So why treat digital messages any differently? not.bot creates an essential verification layer for all your business communications. Think of it as a digital autograph that proves a real human — not an AI clone — is actually behind the content. You can place a verifiable digital signature on: Video calls and recorded messages Email authorizations Press releases and official statements Financial transfer requests A Simple Security Protocol That Actually Works The beauty of not.bot is its simplicity. It creates a security protocol that's crystal clear and easy for your entire team to remember: No sticker, no transfer. By signing authentic content, you give your team a dead simple way to verify it's really you. This protects your reputation and, most importantly, stops fraud before the money is gone. Your voice is now a credential, just like a password. It's time to secure it. The New Reality of Corporate Security We've entered an era where your voice, your face, and your digital presence can be weaponized against you. AI-driven corporate espionage isn't coming — it's here. But you're not defenseless. You can create new verification protocols. You can train your team to demand proof. You can make authentication as routine as checking a signature on a contract. The question isn't whether you'll face this threat. The question is whether you'll be prepared when it arrives. Secure your company today. Visit not.bot to learn how. Watch on YouTube: The $25 Million Dollar Deepfake

5 January 2026

Honest Abe on Deepfakes: A Message from the 16th President

A message to political candidates in the voice of Abraham Lincoln My fellow Americans, permit me to address a most pressing concern of this modern age. Do your voters truly trust you? 'Tis the paramount question of this election season. For how can they place their faith in you when they cannot even trust the evidence of their own eyes? Deepfake deceptions are inundating the vast expanse of the internet, much like a flood upon the prairies. And behold, these are no longer mere shadowy illusions, but cunning instruments of political warfare. The Grave Peril We Face A learned inquiry from the National Institutes of Health reveals a grave peril, indeed a peril as vast as the Mississippi: Most folks fancy themselves adept at discerning these falsehoods, yet the stark truth is that scarcely a quarter among us can truly spot them. This menace is no distant thunder on the horizon. It thunders upon us even now, a veritable slayer of campaigns. The technology has grown so sophisticated that your very countenance and voice can be commandeered by those who would do you harm. A Vigilant Safeguard But fear not, for there exists a vigilant safeguard, and it is named not.bot. Envision it as a digital seal of authenticity, a unique emblem for all your campaign's genuine proclamations. Much as I once signed the Emancipation Proclamation to give it the weight of Presidential authority, you may now sign your digital communications to prove their authenticity. How This Safeguard Operates The process is remarkably straightforward: Prove your identity — Verify you are indeed who you claim to be Create your unique seal — Obtain a digital signature that belongs to you alone Affix it to your communications — Place this not.bot mark upon your true videos and dispatches across the social ether This establishes a new decree for campaigns, plain and unyielding for your aides, the press, and above all, your electorate: Heed the mark. Training Your Voters to Spot Deception By affixing your seal to every authentic communication, you educate your voters to unmask the counterfeit, fostering a realm where truth prevails: If the mark graces the content, 'tis genuine Absent the mark, beware the imposter Thus, you invert the deepfake's deceitful script. The lack of your seal becomes the clarion warning, halting those pernicious untruths ere they spread like wildfire across the prairie. A Personal Data Safeguard And mark this well: your personal data remains upon your own device, never stored in some distant repository where it might be purloined by brigands or sold to the highest bidder. As I have long believed in the sovereignty of the individual, so too does this system honor your privacy whilst providing the verification your campaign requires. The Wisdom of the Ages As I once observed, "You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." Yet with not.bot, we ensure the deceivers fool none for long. When every authentic message bears your seal, and every unsealed message is revealed as suspect, the very foundation of deception crumbles. The Hour Has Come The hour has come to fortify your campaign and quell the falsehoods. In my time, we fought to preserve the Union and ensure that government of the people, by the people, for the people, should not perish from the earth. In your time, you fight to ensure that truth itself does not perish from the digital realm. 'Tis a worthy fight, and one you can win. Proceed to not.bot and erect your bulwark this very day. With great hope for the Republic, A. Lincoln Editor's Note: While this article is written in the voice of Abraham Lincoln for illustrative purposes, the threat to political campaigns is very real. Deepfakes targeting political candidates increased by over 900% in the 2024 election cycle, according to security researchers. Digital authentication tools provide candidates with a proactive defense against misinformation. Watch on YouTube: Honest Abe on Deepfakes

2 January 2026

The Campaign Killer: Why Deepfakes Are Your Biggest Threat This Election

Content Do your voters actually trust you? It's the key question this election. Because how can they trust you when they can't even trust what they're seeing? Deepfake content is about to flood the internet, and these aren't just blurry, obviously fake videos anymore. They're sophisticated campaign weapons designed to destroy reputations overnight. Most People Think They Can Spot a Deepfake. They Can't. A study from the National Institutes of Health confirms a huge problem: Most of us think we can spot a deepfake. But the reality? Barely a quarter of us actually can. Your voters aren't dumb. They're just human. Our brains evolved to trust what we see and hear. We're not wired to question video evidence. And deepfake technology has gotten so good that even experts struggle to identify fakes. This creates a perfect storm for political destruction. The Trump-Musk Deepfake: A Warning This isn't a future threat. It's happening right now. It is a campaign killer. A viral deepfake showed Donald Trump in a humiliating, completely fabricated situation with Elon Musk. It was so invasive that it was even hacked onto TVs inside a federal building. Think about that for a moment. If AI can make a former president look like he's doing something that outrageous, what could it make you look like you're doing? Accepting bribes? Making racist statements? Having affairs? Committing crimes? Any of these could destroy your campaign overnight. And by the time you issue a denial, millions have already seen the fake. The damage is done. You Can't Fight Deepfakes with Fact-Checks The traditional campaign playbook — issue a statement, send out fact-checks, hope the media corrects the record — doesn't work against deepfakes. Here's why: Fakes spread faster than corrections — Your denial reaches a fraction of those who saw the fake Denials can amplify the story — "Candidate denies doing X" makes people curious about X Voters don't fact-check — Most people don't read past headlines, let alone check sources The first impression sticks — Even when corrected, the fake image lingers in voters' minds By the time you've responded, the damage is irreversible. The Proactive Defense: not.bot There is a proactive defense, and it's called not.bot. Think of it like a digital autograph — a unique signature for all your campaign's real content. You place this not.bot sticker on all of your authentic videos and social posts. How It Works Getting started is incredibly simple: Prove you're human once — Verify your identity using government ID Create your signature — Generate your unique digital sticker Sign your content — Add the sticker to all authentic campaign communications And here's the critical part: your personal data is only stored on your device. not.bot doesn't have it. It can't be hacked from their servers because it's not on their servers. Creating a New Campaign Rule This is way more than just a tool. It's a whole new campaign protocol, and the rule is dead simple for your staff, the media, and especially your voters: See the sticker, it's real. Don't see it, it's not. By signing every authentic communication, you're training your voters to spot what's fake. You're creating a new reality where the absence of your signature is the red flag. Flipping the Script Think about what this does strategically: Before not.bot: Deepfake drops Goes viral You issue denial Damage is done With not.bot: Your real content has your signature Fake content doesn't Voters know it's fake immediately Fake never gains traction You completely flip the script. Now the absence of your signature stops damaging lies in their tracks, right before they go viral. Your Voters Need to Know It's You Your voters deserve to know when they're actually hearing from you. They deserve to trust that campaign videos are authentic. They deserve protection from malicious deepfakes designed to manipulate their vote. By signing your content, you're showing respect for your voters. You're saying: "I want you to know this is really me. I take responsibility for this message." That's not just smart security. That's good governance. The Lincoln Principle As Abraham Lincoln observed, "You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." But with not.bot, you ensure the deceivers fool none for long. When every authentic message bears your seal, and every unsealed message is revealed as suspect, the foundation of electoral deception crumbles. Time to Protect Your Campaign The takeaway is simple: It's time to protect your campaign. It's time to stop the lies. Go to not.bot and build your defense right now. Don't wait until a deepfake goes viral. Don't wait until you're issuing desperate denials. Don't wait until your opponent uses this against you. Be proactive. Verify your communications. Protect your voters. The election may depend on it. Watch on YouTube: Do Your Voters Trust You?

1 January 2026

Your Credibility Is Being Hijacked: A Defense for Journalists

If you're a journalist, you know that trust is everything. It's your most valuable currency. Without it, you have nothing. So what happens when that trust can be perfectly counterfeited? When scammers can hijack your face, your voice, your reputation, and use it to defraud the very audience you've spent years building trust with? It's already happening. The Dr. Sanjay Gupta Alzheimer's Scam Let me tell you a horror story that should concern every journalist in America. Scammers created perfect AI clones of trusted medical journalists, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Anderson Cooper. They used these deepfakes to sell fake Alzheimer's "miracle cures" to vulnerable people. The scam was sophisticated: The fakes were disguised as real CNN medical reports They looked completely legitimate, with CNN branding and graphics They sounded authentic, using the journalists' actual speaking styles They targeted elderly people and families desperate for help People thought, "If CNN is reporting it, if Dr. Gupta is endorsing it, it must be real." They weren't just scammed out of money. They were scammed out of hope, purchasing fake treatments for devastating diseases, trusting the credibility of journalists who had nothing to do with it. Your Credibility Is Your Asset — And Your Liability As a journalist, your credibility is your greatest asset. Losing it to deepfakes is now your greatest risk. You spend years building trust. Every story you fact-check. Every source you verify. Every correction you issue. It all builds toward one thing: your audience trusts you to tell them the truth. Scammers can steal that trust in three seconds of audio. They don't need to hack your accounts. They don't need insider access. They just need a few clips of your voice from publicly available videos, and AI can do the rest. You Can't Chase Down Every Fake The traditional response — trying to chase down and debunk every fake video — doesn't work. Here's why: Fakes spread faster than corrections — By the time you've issued a denial, millions have already seen the fake New fakes appear constantly — As soon as you debunk one, three more appear Denials get less reach — Your correction reaches a fraction of the people who saw the original scam Fighting fakes is a full-time job — And you have actual journalism to do You can't play whack-a-mole with deepfakes. You'll lose. The Proactive Defense: Authenticate What's Real Instead of chasing down what's fake, authenticate what's real. not.bot provides a simple solution: it's basically your digital autograph for the AI age. A scannable QR code that proves a real human — you — actually approved the story. How It Works for Journalists The process is remarkably simple: Create your content — Report your story exactly as you normally would Add the not.bot sticker — Attach your unique digital signature Your audience verifies — They scan the QR code to confirm it's actually you This takes seconds to implement, but it creates a powerful new verification layer. Teaching Your Audience a New Rule By consistently signing your real work, you create a simple rule that your audience can rely on: No sticker, no trust. If they see a video of you reporting a story, and it doesn't have your not.bot signature, they know immediately it's fake. No detective work required. No trying to analyze video artifacts or listening for audio glitches. Just a simple check: signature or no signature? This Protects More Than Just You When you verify your work, you're protecting: Your personal reputation — Built over years or decades Your news organization's credibility — The trust your outlet has earned Your audience — Vulnerable people who could be scammed in your name Journalism itself — The profession depends on public trust Every journalist who verifies their work makes it harder for scammers to succeed. You're not just protecting yourself — you're protecting the entire ecosystem. The Stakes Are High We're at a critical moment for journalism. Public trust in news is already at historic lows. Deepfakes threaten to destroy what little trust remains. If your audience can't tell which news reports are real, how can they stay informed? How can democracy function when voters can't trust what they're seeing? This isn't just about protecting your career. It's about protecting the role of journalism in society. Start Signing Your Work Traditionally, journalists didn't sign their broadcast work — that was for print. But we're in a new era that demands new practices. It's time to start signing your work. Just as print journalists have bylines and photographers sign their images, broadcast journalists and digital reporters need a way to cryptographically verify their work. not.bot provides that verification layer. Simple to use. Impossible to fake. Get started at not.bot and start protecting your credibility today. Watch on YouTube: Your Credibility Is Being Hijacked

31 December 2025

The Copy-Paste Crisis: When Brands Can Fake You for Free

As a creator, your identity is everything. Your voice. Your face. Your personal brand. It's what makes you valuable. It's what brands pay for. But what if someone could just steal it? Welcome to the copy-paste crisis that's threatening every influencer, content creator, and digital personality online. Three Seconds Is All They Need Here's the terrifying reality: AI needs just three seconds of audio to create a perfect clone of your voice. Not a rough approximation. Not an obvious fake. A perfect clone that sounds exactly like you, with your inflections, your mannerisms, your unique speaking style. And these deepfake tools? They're cheap. They're easy to use. They're available to anyone with an internet connection. This creates a massive problem: Why would a brand pay you when they can fake you for free? The MrBeast TikTok Scam This isn't some hypothetical future threat. It's happening right now to the biggest names in the creator economy. A recent TikTok ad used a deepfake of MrBeast to promote a massive giveaway scam. The fake was so convincing it included: His exact voice and speaking style His logo and branding A fake blue check mark for credibility Millions saw it. Thousands fell for it. And it wasn't even created by a sophisticated operation — it was made with readily available AI tools. This proves platform verification isn't enough anymore. Blue checks can be faked. Logos can be stolen. But cryptographic signatures? Those can't be replicated. Why This Threatens Your Business As a creator, you face a three-pronged attack: Scammers using your identity to defraud your fans Brands potentially stealing your likeness instead of paying you Your audience losing trust because they can't tell what's real Your entire business model depends on authenticity. On your fans trusting that they're actually hearing from you. On brands knowing they're getting the real you. Deepfakes destroy all of that. Fighting Back: Proving You're the Real You The solution isn't to fight the technology. You can't stop AI from getting better at cloning voices and faces. That battle is already lost. The solution is to prove you're the real you. Meet not.bot — a simple, powerful tool to protect your digital identity. Think of it as a digital autograph for your content. How It Works Add a unique not.bot sticker — A scannable QR code that serves as your digital signature Attach it to your videos — Place it directly on your content, just like a watermark Your followers verify instantly — They scan the sticker with their phone to confirm it's actually you If a video doesn't have your signature, your community knows right away it's a fake. Teaching Your Audience a New Rule This creates a simple, powerful protocol that's easy for your followers to understand: No signature, not real. You're training your audience to demand proof. To verify before they trust. To protect themselves from scams and you from impersonation. Privacy at the Core Here's the critical part: the verification is built with privacy at its foundation. Your data is stored on your device so it can't be hacked, leaked, or sold. You maintain full control over your identity while proving it's actually you. Stop Scams Before They Go Viral The old playbook was reactive: spot the fake, issue a statement, try to get it taken down. But by then, millions had already seen it. The new playbook is proactive: sign everything that's actually you, and teach your audience to ignore everything else. This stops scams before they can even go viral. It protects your brand and your audience simultaneously. Take Back Control Your identity is your business. Your brand is your livelihood. Don't let AI copycats steal what you've built. It's time to take back control. Visit not.bot to create your digital signature and protect your identity. Watch on YouTube: The Deepfake Crisis for Creators

30 December 2025

Deepfake Blindness: Why Your Fans Can't Tell What's Real Anymore

Your face is being stolen. Right now. And your fans have no idea it's happening. Scammers are using AI to create deepfakes of celebrities, putting words in their mouths and using their trusted images to sell fake products, promote scams, and damage reputations built over decades. Take Oprah. Scammers used deepfakes of her to sell fake diet pills to her loyal fans, charging over $300 for products she never endorsed. Her fans trusted what they saw — because why wouldn't they? It looked like Oprah. It sounded like Oprah. It had her mannerisms, her voice, her face. And Scarlett Johansson? Her face was used in deepfakes to put words directly in her mouth, creating content she never approved and endorsing products she's never heard of. The Old Playbook Doesn't Work Anymore The traditional response is to chase down and deny every single fake video that pops up. You issue statements. You file takedown requests. You try to get ahead of the misinformation. But let's be real: that's a losing game. By the time you deny it, millions have already seen the lie. The damage is done. The fake has gone viral. And your denial? That gets a fraction of the attention the original deepfake received. Deepfake Blindness: The Real Problem Here's the bigger issue, the one we really need to talk about: your fans can't tell the difference anymore. It's called "deepfake blindness," and it's a real, documented phenomenon. We're wired to believe what we see. Our brains haven't evolved to question video evidence. Your fans genuinely think they can spot a fake, but the data shows they just can't. The technology has gotten too good. The fakes are too convincing. And they're getting better every day. A New Playbook: Proactive Authentication It's time for a new approach. Instead of playing defense, it's time to go on offense. Think of it like a digital autograph. not.bot provides a simple, powerful way to prove your content is actually yours. It's like a blue check that actually works — a signature you put directly on your videos that can't be faked or replicated. Here's how it works: Get your unique sticker — A digital signature that only you can create Make your video — Create content exactly as you always have Add the sticker — Attach your not.bot signature to the video Your fans verify instantly — They know it's real because it has your signature Teaching Your Audience a New Rule This creates a simple, powerful rule that's easy for your audience to understand and remember: If it's not signed, it's not me. Think about what this does. If a video of you pops up without your sticker, your fans know immediately it's a fake. No detective work required. No trying to spot subtle AI artifacts. Just a simple check: signature or no signature? The Shift: From Confusion to Clarity This is the fundamental shift in strategy: Before: Confusion and viral lies that you have to chase down After: Clarity and instant trust, with fakes stopped before they go viral You're not fighting the technology. You're not trying to win an arms race against AI. You're simply proving which content is actually yours. Protect Your Reputation, Protect Your Fans Your fans trust you. They've followed your career, bought your products, supported your work. They deserve to know when they're actually hearing from you. Deepfakes aren't just an attack on your reputation. They're an attack on the relationship you've built with your audience. They exploit the trust your fans have in you to scam them, deceive them, and profit from your name. It's time to fight back. Get started with not.bot today. Protect your reputation. Protect your fans. Prove what's real. Visit not.bot to create your digital signature. Watch on YouTube: Deepfake Blindness

29 December 2025

The End of Catfishing: A Love Letter from a Retired Scammer

It's over, guys. The golden age of catfishing? Dead. Gone. Kaput. I used to be a handsome doctor on a peacekeeping mission. I used to be a stranded prince needing a wire transfer. I once convinced someone I was their high school sweetheart (we'd "both changed so much!"). But now? I can't trick anyone. And do you know who's to blame? not.bot. The Good Old Days (When Nobody Knew You Were a Dog) Before, on the internet, nobody knew you were a dog, a bot, or a guy named Sammy in his mom's basement. It was beautiful. It was simple. It was profitable. "Hello, beautiful. I'm stuck at the airport and need help with my luggage fees." "I'm a military commander stationed overseas. We're not allowed to access our bank accounts." "I'm a successful entrepreneur, but my accounts are temporarily frozen due to a business deal." These lines were poetry. And they worked. Then not.bot Ruined Everything Real people — apparently that's most of you — started using this app to prove they're actually human. They scan their passport to verify they exist. They create a unique digital signature that can't be faked. And the worst part? Julia Social, the company behind it, doesn't even keep your data. They use some fancy cryptographic math so they can't see it, lose it, or sell it. (Believe me, I checked. I was hoping to buy a database. No luck.) My Last Failed Attempt Yesterday, I tried my classic move. Sliding into someone's DMs with my usual "Hello, beautiful. I'm stuck at the airport" routine. You know what I got back? "Can you send me your not.bot sticker?" I can't fake it. It's not like I have a passport that says "Doctor Handsome" or "Prince of Nigeria." The verification actually checks government records. If I can't prove I'm a human with a real identity, my entire business model is ruined. I might have to get a real job. How This Actually Works (Unfortunately) Here's what's destroying my livelihood: Real humans verify their identity once — They scan an actual government ID They create a unique digital signature — A scannable QR code that proves their identity They share it when meeting new people online — On dating apps, social media, anywhere trust matters People can verify instantly — Scan the code, confirm the person is real No sticker? Probably a scammer. (That would be me.) The Privacy Thing (That Really Annoys Me) The thing that really gets me is the privacy protection. Julia Social doesn't have access to your personal data so it can't be hacked or leaked. Your information is stored on your device. I used to count on companies having terrible security. Data breaches were my friend. Not anymore. A Farewell to Arms (and Scams) So here we are. The end of an era. If you want to: Protect your identity online Stop catfishing in its tracks Prove you aren't a robot (or a guy named Sammy) Actually trust who you're talking to Then go ahead. Visit not.bot. Ruin my life. See if I care. (I care a lot. Please don't. I have a cat to feed.) Editor's Note: While this article is satirical, the threat of catfishing and online romance scams is very real. According to the FTC, Americans lost over $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2023. Digital identity verification tools like not.bot provide a simple way to verify you're talking to a real person, not a scammer. Video Watch on YouTube: Catfishing is OVER

27 December 2025

The Authenticity Crisis: Why We're Asking the Wrong Question About AI

What if we've been looking at the whole AI problem wrong? You've probably asked yourself: "Is this AI-generated?" As deepfakes flood our feeds and generative AI becomes indistinguishable from reality, it feels like the most important question we can ask. But here's the thing — that's actually the wrong question. We're in the middle of a massive authenticity crisis, and yes, generative AI is a big part of it. We're obsessed with spotting the AI, playing digital detective with every image, video, and voice we encounter. But the real problem isn't the tool itself. The real problem is a lack of accountability. Think about it: a fake can be made in Photoshop just as easily as with AI. The tool doesn't matter. What matters is knowing who is actually behind the content. Who takes responsibility for this message? Who stands behind these words? The Solution: Verify Humans, Not Content There's a clever new approach to this problem, and it comes from not.bot. Instead of trying to detect AI (a game you simply can't win), not.bot proves one simple thing: a human took responsibility for this message. Think of it like a digital autograph — a sticker that proves a real person signed off on the content. The whole process is incredibly simple: Verify you're human Create your unique sticker Attach it to your content And here's the critical part: the entire system is built around protecting your privacy. As the CEO explained, "We can't lose your data in a hack because we don't have it." Your personal information stays on your device, never stored on external servers. Where Does This Work? The short answer: everywhere online. The not.bot digital signature works with the internet you already use: On TikTok, X, and social media — Fight deepfakes by signing your own video content On dating apps — Stop catfishing by asking for proof you're talking to a real human In business communications — Verify that messages actually come from who they claim to be Rebuilding Trust Online The solution isn't to fight AI. The solution is to verify the humans. We can't win an arms race against increasingly sophisticated AI tools. But we can create a simple, elegant system where accountability matters more than detection. Where authenticity is proven, not guessed at. The question isn't "Is this AI?" The question is "Who stands behind this?" Ready to prove you're human? Visit not.bot to learn more. Video Watch on YouTube: AI vs Authenticity

26 December 2025

Ken Griggs on Ash Said It: The Future of Digital Identity

Our CEO Ken Griggs recently joined Ash Brown on the Ash Said It Show for a timely conversation about digital identity, privacy, and the UK's proposed nationwide digital ID system. Here's what you need to know. The Big Question: Security or Surveillance? When the UK government announced plans for a nationwide digital ID system, it sparked a global debate about the future of digital rights. On the surface, these systems promise convenience—easier access to public services, streamlined verification, reduced fraud. But as Ken explains in this eye-opening interview, the reality is far more complex. "When you centralize the identity of an entire nation in a single database, you're creating a high-risk honey pot for hackers and state actors," Ken warns. "It's not a question of if it gets breached—it's when." Why Centralization Is Dangerous During the 16-minute conversation, Ken breaks down three critical problems with centralized digital ID systems: 1. Single Point of Failure When millions of identities live in one database, a single breach compromises everyone. We've seen this play out with massive data breaches at Equifax, Target, and countless other centralized systems. Now imagine that, but with your government-issued identity. 2. Surveillance Potential Centralized systems give governments unprecedented tracking capabilities. Every time you verify your identity, that action can be logged, tracked, and analyzed. This creates a detailed map of your daily life—where you go, what services you use, who you interact with. 3. Loss of Data Sovereignty In centralized systems, you don't own your data—the institution does. You can't delete it. You can't control who sees it. You're entirely dependent on that institution to protect it, manage it, and not misuse it. The Decentralized Alternative This is where Ken's work at not.bot and Julia Social comes in. As he explains to Ash, there's a better way: You own your identity. You control your data. You choose when and how to share it. Instead of storing everyone's information in a centralized database, decentralized identity uses cryptographic proofs. Your identity information lives on your device. When you need to verify yourself, you create a cryptographic signature that proves who you are—without revealing any underlying data. It's the difference between showing your entire driver's license to prove you're over 21, versus simply proving the fact that you're over 21 without revealing your name, address, or photo. Why This Conversation Matters Now The UK's digital ID legislation is being watched worldwide. If they implement a centralized system, other countries will follow. If they adopt a decentralized, privacy-preserving approach, it could set a new standard for digital rights globally. As Ken tells Ash: "The choices we make about digital identity today will determine what privacy looks like for the next generation. We can't afford to get this wrong." Watch the Full Episode The full conversation covers much more, including: How blockchain technology enables decentralized identity Why "convenience vs. privacy" is a false choice Practical steps you can take to protect your digital identity today The role of not.bot in the future of digital verification Watch now: Ash Said It Show - Episode 2150 About the Ash Said It Show The Ash Said It Show is a top-ranked podcast with over 2,100 episodes and 700,000+ global listens. Host Ash Brown brings her signature "Authentic Optimism" to conversations with changemakers across all industries, delivering uplifting energy and actionable strategies for personal and professional growth. Learn more at AshSaidit.com

24 December 2025

Safe Spaces Need Verification: Why We're Attending AI Festivus 2025

The Problem We're Gathering to Solve This week, we're joining hundreds of AI practitioners, technologists, and community leaders at AI Festivus 2025—a two-day virtual event celebrating human-centered AI. And true to the Festivus tradition, we're bringing some grievances to air. Grievance #1: Online communities can't protect safe spaces. In 2024 alone, catfishing cost people $697 million. Twenty-three percent of social media users report being victimized. And it's getting worse—AI-generated deepfakes are making every photo, every video, every voice call suspect. The technology to fake identity is advancing faster than our ability to detect it. But the statistics only tell part of the story. When Safety Costs Privacy The problem hits women's communities especially hard. Online groups for women face constant harassment from bad actors who raid their spaces with lewd comments, degrading behavior, and coordinated attacks. It's exhausting. It's demoralizing. And current solutions force an impossible choice: Sacrifice privacy for safety, or risk your community being overrun. Communities like She Leads AI need ways to verify that members belong without compromising anyone's personal information. Right now, the tools available force difficult security decisions that some members may not be comfortable with. Share your face. Share your real name. Give up your anonymity. There has to be a better way. The Detection Dead End "Just use AI detection tools," people say. Here's the problem with that advice: detection is a losing game. AI detection tools fail on sophisticated deepfakes. They can't verify video calls in real-time. And every time detection improves, the fakes get better. You're stuck in an endless arms race, always one step behind, always reacting instead of preventing. The fundamental flaw is in the question itself. Instead of asking "Is this fake?" we should be asking "Can you prove you're real?" Verification, Not Detection What if you could prove you're female without revealing your face, name, or any other identifying information? What if communities could verify who belongs without compromising anyone's privacy? Privacy AND safety. Together. Not a trade-off. That's cryptographic verification. And it's what we're building at not.bot. Why Mathematical Proof Beats AI Guessing At its core, cryptographic verification provides mathematical certainty, not probabilistic guesses. When you create a digital signature with not.bot, you're generating cryptographic proof of your identity attributes—proof that can be verified without revealing your personal information. Think of it as a digital autograph that only you can create, but anyone can verify. No AI detection algorithms. No reverse image searches. No guessing games. Just mathematical proof that works every single time. The technology exists. The standards exist. What's been missing is the application layer—making cryptographic verification accessible, understandable, and practical for everyday online interactions. Human-Centered AI Requires Human Verification AI Festivus champions human-centered AI—artificial intelligence that serves humanity rather than replacing or deceiving it. It's a mission we deeply believe in. But here's the thing: human-centered AI requires human verification. If we can't prove who's human and who's AI, how can we build AI systems that truly serve people? If anyone can impersonate anyone, how do we create online spaces where authentic human connection can flourish? The answer isn't more sophisticated detection. It's giving people the tools to prove their authenticity when it matters. Join the Conversation This week at AI Festivus, we're joining conversations about digital identity, online safety, and the future of human-centered AI. We'll be discussing how cryptographic verification can protect safe spaces, enable authentic connections, and shift the paradigm from defensive detection to proactive proof. The event is free and virtual, running December 26-27 with 34 speakers across 24 hours of workshops. Whether you're building AI tools, managing online communities, or simply concerned about digital trust, there's space for your voice. The most powerful question we can ask isn't "Is this fake?" It's "Can you prove you're real?" And we finally have the technology to answer it. About AI Festivus 2025 Dates: December 26-27, 2025 Format: Virtual (FREE) Organizers: She Leads AI + AI Salon Theme: Human-centered AI - mindset, use cases, discoveries, artistry, collaboration, and "airing of grievances" Register: aifestivus.com About not.bot not.bot provides cryptographic digital signatures that prove human authenticity without AI detection. Our mobile app lets you create verifiable "digital autographs"—QR and JAB codes that serve as mathematical proof you're a real person. Learn more at not.bot.

23 December 2025

Deepfakes, AI, and the "Truth" – A Conversation with Ken Griggs

How do you verify what’s real in an age of AI? It is one of the most pressing questions of our decade. To find the answer, The C-SUITE EDGE invited Ken Griggs (CEO of Julia Social) to the mic. In a fascinating discussion on the evolution of technology, they dive deep into the mechanics of "digital trust" and the new tools emerging to combat AI deception. Whether you are a CEO looking to safeguard your company or just an observer curious about where technology is heading next, this interview provides the roadmap you’ve been looking for. Don't miss these insights on navigating the new digital frontier. Click below to watch: C-Suite Edge

2 December 2025

The New Currency of Business: Why Privacy and Trust Are No Longer Optional

n a digital landscape increasingly defined by data breaches and AI-driven uncertainty, "trust" has become the most valuable asset a company possesses. But how do you govern it? And more importantly, how do you prove it? In this strategic episode of the VisibleOps Podcast, host Scott Alldridge (CEO of IP Services) joins forces with Ken Griggs (Julia Social) to dissect the critical intersection of privacy, authenticity, and operational security. Scott, a veteran in IT process and governance, and Ken, a pioneer in digital identity, move beyond the buzzwords to discuss the real-world frameworks leaders need to adopt. They explore why current identity models are failing and how a "privacy-first" architecture is the only viable path forward for secure business operations. Listen to the full discussion here: VisibleOPS

2 December 2025

The Future of Entrepreneurship: Making Privacy Your Competitive Advantage

For years, the rallying cry for success was "data is the new moat," driving businesses to collect and exploit every piece of customer information. However, this race for data has alienated consumers and pushed many entrepreneurs across ethical lines. The future of business demands a swing back to ethical entrepreneurship, where transparency and trust are the new currencies of success. Consumers are tired of being tracked, and they notice when a business respects their boundaries. This article details a revolutionary approach to digital identity, Julia Social's not.bot, that allows entrepreneurs to differentiate themselves by making privacy a business model. Using cutting-edge cryptography, a new system allows individuals to prove their identity and the authenticity of their content with unique digital signatures. This process is entirely decentralized and avoids the collection or exposure of any personal data. Why this matters to you: Build Trust: Companies demonstrating ethical data practices gain more loyal customers. Reduce Liability: By not collecting and storing data, you avoid creating "honeypots" for hackers and eliminate the risk of catastrophic data breaches. Distinguish Authenticity: You can clearly mark your content as real, standing out in an online world flooded with deepfakes and bots. The ability to create a verified, human network without compromising privacy is no longer optional; it is the foundation of the next wave of successful businesses. To learn more about this movement, read the full article on Entrepreneurs Break here.

2 December 2025

The Headline: Deepfakes are no longer just entertaining internet gimmicks—they are a sophisticated weapon threatening the global financial system.

The Core Problem: A recent article by Ken Griggs highlights a chilling shift in financial fraud. In early 2024, a Hong Kong firm lost $25 million after an employee authorized transfers during a video call where every other participant—including the "CFO"—was a high-quality AI deepfake. This isn’t an isolated incident. Losses from AI-driven scams in the US are projected to skyrocket from $12 billion in 2023 to over $40 billion by 2027. Why Banks are Vulnerable: Low Barrier to Entry: Criminals can now use off-the-shelf AI tools to clone voices with just 20 seconds of audio or create realistic videos from social media clips. Remote Work Reliance: The shift to remote banking and work has made institutions heavily dependent on video and phone verification—the exact mediums deepfakes exploit. The Biometric Paradox: Current identity verification methods often require users to upload selfie videos and government IDs. Ironically, this feeds criminals the very biometric data they need to build convincing impostors. The Proposed Solution: The article argues that we can no longer trust our eyes and ears to verify identity. Instead, the financial sector must pivot toward cryptographic signatures and blockchain technology. By using a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) on a tamper-resistant blockchain, institutions can verify the digital identity behind every transaction using mathematical certainty rather than biometric appearance. This "privacy-first" approach allows for authentication without exposing the personal data that deepfakes rely on. Key Takeaway: As AI fraud evolves, traditional "see it to believe it" verification is obsolete. To protect assets, the financial industry must adopt immutable, cryptographic proof of identity.

2 December 2025

Digital Identity Verification: A Critical Defense for Small Businesses in the Age of Deepfakes

Deepfakes: The Critical Threat Small Businesses Can't Ignore Deepfakes have evolved from a novelty into a sophisticated weapon, making small businesses a prime target for AI-driven attacks and scams. These fabricated videos and audio clips pose a severe risk of financial fraud and instant reputational damage. Worse, many traditional verification systems that ask for your government ID or webcam footage are actually counterproductive. They create a data liability risk and provide hackers with the high-quality biometric data they need to create even more convincing deepfakes. The solution is a new, privacy-first defense based on two technologies: Cryptographic Signatures: Allows you to "sign" any digital content with a secret key, proving authenticity without exposing personal data. Blockchain: Acts as a decentralized, tamper-proof ledger to link your public key to your identity, ensuring no one can arbitrarily change or revoke your digital identity. Adopting this combination is essential for small businesses to build consumer trust and protect against the growing threat of AI deception. For a detailed breakdown of how digital identity verification effects businesses read the full article here You will find more information about not.bot signatures here

20 November 2025

The Deepfake Target: Why Small Businesses Are the Silent Victims

Unlike large corporations with vast security teams, small businesses are increasingly becoming the silent targets of sophisticated AI fraud. Deepfakes—requiring minimal audio or video to create—pose a critical threat, from impersonating you to authorize wire transfers to spreading fake customer service announcements that instantly damage your brand. The real danger? When attacked, small businesses lack the media platform to publicly debunk these fakes. Furthermore, while traditional online verification systems demand invasive biometric data (like facial scans), storing this sensitive information creates a massive liability risk. Hackers exploit this data to craft more realistic fakes. To survive this digital arms race, the article The New Face of Fraud: How Deepfakes Are Targeting Small Businesses argues for a privacy-first identity solution. By using Cryptographic Signatures and Blockchain for verification, you can prove your digital messages are authentic and protect your business from liability, all without storing or sharing sensitive user data. Learn more about the not.bot products here

20 November 2025

Tired of Bots? Not.bot human Verification is Your New Business Advantage

Our digital lives often feel like the Wild West, crowded with bots, deepfakes, and data harvesters. For small business owners, this creates an existential problem: How do customers know they're interacting with a real human and not an algorithm or a scammer? This article introduces an exciting shift in online security, focusing on human verification rather than just data protection. The key innovation lies in placing the power of identity verification back into the hands of the individual user, prioritizing privacy from the start. Instead of relying on centralized, hackable databases (the way most security works), our not.bot solution authenticates identity using digital autograph signatures (QR/JAB codes) powered by cryptography. This means: You control your data: No copies of personal information are stored by a third party. You prove authorship: You can attach a verifiable signature to any message or post, proving it came directly from you and not a bot or deepfake. Your customer's privacy is protected: Customers can verify their identity without surrendering personal data, mitigating your business's liability risk. This approach flips the script on online trust, empowering your business to build authentic relationships in a world where digital manipulation is rampant. To learn more about this "Silent Guardian" approach, Read the full article on The American Reporter.

20 November 2025

Verify Your Digital ID: The AI Privacy Crisis for Home-Based Businesses

As a solo entrepreneur, you rely on AI tools to compete, but this dependence comes with a steep price: an escalating threat to customer privacy. The article Verify Your Digital ID: Why Every Home-Based Business Needs AI Privacy Protection and a Digital Identity Verification Solution argues that many common AI privacy solutions are flawed, often secretly tracking, storing, or selling customer data. This aggressive data collection erodes consumer trust and creates massive data liability for your business. The viable path forward is a privacy-first approach. By leveraging new cryptographic and decentralized verification systems, home-based businesses can instantly prove their authenticity and prevent fraud using secure digital signatures. This innovative technology avoids collecting or storing any sensitive personal information, making it impossible for hackers to steal. Prioritizing ethical data stewardship is the only way to safeguard your future and build lasting customer trust. Learn more about not.bot here

20 November 2025