Originator Profile Technology overview

Originator Profile (OP) technology is a digital technology that enables users to identify the originator/publisher of information (content) on the Internet. It is not a matter of fact about the content, but rather an identifier is issued after a third-party certification organization verifies who the originator/publisher is, as well as information about the originator/publisher’s corporate mission, core values, editorial policy, journalistic responsibility, information transmission policy, and so on.

For users, not only will it be easier to verify the originator/publisher of content, but it will also be easier to identify dis/misinformation, as they can be sure that the information has not been tampered with. This will likely prevent the flood of dis/misinformation and ad fraud. Developing this mechanism with the participation of various stakeholders in a transparent manner will preserve a sound cyberspace environment and serve to enhance the public interest.

Please see the “Originator Profile Charter” for the direction of the digital society that OP technology aims for and the basic attitude required of information originators.

While the development of information technology and the web has brought various benefits to society, it has also given rise to new issues, such as the spread of dis/misinformation and slander, and the decline in the trust of news. The aim is to solve the problems that technology has created with technology. The Originator Profile Collaborative Innovation Partnership (OP CIP) was established to research and develop such technology. For more details on the background and purpose of the establishment of OP CIP, please see the following message from the Chief Director.

Message from Chief Director

The Net has brought great benefits to us, but it has also created new problems such as the spread of fake news. We are proposing OP as a tech to solve these problems.

For more information about Originator Profile, please see the following media articles.

• OP: Japan’s initiative to ensure the authenticity of internet content (THE JAPAN TIMES)
  • Article in THE JAPAN TIMES feature article ‘Japan turns 60 in OECD: Future plans, leading universities’, explaining how and why the development of OP technology was initiated.
• (Japanese) Improving trust of Online articles and advertisements: … Professor Jun Murai of Keio University [Capitalism at a Crossroads] Special Edition: Information Crisis in the Digital Age: Yomiuri Shimbun (yomiuri.co.jp)
  • Interview with Jun Murai, Chief Director of OP CIP, on the background, objectives and expectations of starting OP technology development.
• (Japanese) Internet white paper 2024
  • In Part 3, Internet and Social Systems, the article explains the vision and function of OP, the expected effects of OP, and the future development.

A more detailed explanation of Originator Profile technology will be posted on this page as soon as it is available.