ConsentShield – Digital Consent Verification & Protection System

Team: Hadush Brhane
Email: belay12162119@gmail.com Project Type: Mobile App + Backend API (Prototype)

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1. Problem Statement

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is increasing rapidly in Ethiopia and around the world. Many girls and young women are secretly recorded or pressured into intimate photos and videos. These materials are later used for:

• Blackmail
• Threats
• Public shaming
• Revenge posting
• Non-consensual distribution on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram

Once uploaded, harmful content spreads quickly, causing long-lasting psychological, social, and economic damage. Existing reporting systems are slow, biased, or require public exposure.

There is an urgent need for a preventative, automated, survivor-controlled solution that stops the content even before it is uploaded.

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2. Solution Overview – ConsentShield

ConsentShield is a proactive digital protection system that prevents the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos. It works by generating secure fingerprints (perceptual hashes) of media registered by the survivor and detecting matches when an attacker attempts to upload the content.

ConsentShield provides:

• Pre-upload blocking (content never goes online)
• Post-upload detection (flag/remove already posted content)
• Complete privacy (system stores only hashes, not real images/videos)

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3. How ConsentShield Works

Step 1 — Survivor Registers Protected Media

Using the ConsentShield mobile app, the survivor selects any intimate image or video they fear may be misused.
The app generates:

• Perceptual Image Hash (aHash/pHash)
• Multi-frame Video Hash (sampled frame fingerprints)

Original media is NOT stored.
Only secure hashes are saved.

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Step 2 — Social Media Platform Integrates ConsentShield API

When anyone (including an attacker) attempts to upload content:

The backend checks similarity using Hamming distance.

If matched:

• Upload is immediately blocked
• Survivor is notified
• Platform moderators are alerted

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Step 3 — If Content Is Already Posted

Platforms scan new posts and stories using the same hashing system.

If a match is found:

• The post is auto-flagged
• Auto-removed (based on platform policy)
• Survivor receives a safety alert

This prevents rapid spread and re-upload.

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4. Key Features (MVP)

✔ 1. Secure Fingerprint Registration

• Supports images and videos
• Resistant to edits (crop, resize, brightness, filters)
• Survivor-centered & privacy-safe

✔ 2. Real-Time Upload Blocking

Content matching survivor-protected media is stopped before becoming public.

✔ 3. Post-Upload Detection

Identifies and flags already-published TFGBV content.

✔ 4. Demo Prototype (Included)

• ConsentShield App (Victim) – register protected media
• FakeSocial App (Attacker) – attempt to upload
• Backend Verification Server – compare hashes and block uploads

✔ 5. Ethical & Privacy-First Design

• No original media stored
• All fingerprints encrypted
• No third-party data access

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5. Technical Implementation

Frontend: Flutter App

Two flows:

1. ConsentShield (Victim Mode)

   • File picker
   • aHash generation
   • Fingerprint registration

2. FakeSocial (Attacker Mode)

   • Image upload simulation
   • Backend verification call
   • Block/allow logic

Libraries:

• Flutter (Dart)
• image (perceptual hashing)
• http
• image_picker
• optional: ffmpeg_kit_flutter for video hashing

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Backend: Node.js (Express)

Endpoints:

• POST /register → Save fingerprint
• POST /verify → Compare with registered fingerprints
• GET /list → View registered hashes (demo only)

Technologies:

• Node.js
• Express
• CORS
• Nanoid
• BigInt Hamming distance comparison

Similarity threshold:

• Image: <= 10 bit difference
• Video: >= 60% frame match

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6. Expected Impact & Scalability

Impact

• Prevents TFGBV before it occurs
• Protects women and girls from harassment and blackmail
• Enables fast removal of harmful content
• Supports legal and NGO organizations responding to TFGBV

Scalability

ConsentShield can expand into:

• Facebook, TikTok, Telegram API integrations
• Government-supported digital safety systems
• School safety platforms
• Encrypted local protection modules for messaging apps