S-3563 : Still Just a Bill

This bill, S. 3563, titled "To require the Secretary of Defense assess and, as appropriate, implement open technical standards for digital content provenance, and for other purposes," mandates specific actions by the Secretary of Defense concerning digital content provenance. The legislation requires:

• **Roadmap Development**: By June 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense must develop a comprehensive roadmap for the potential future adoption and integration of digital content provenance capabilities throughout the Department of Defense. This roadmap is to include:
  • Identification and assessment of current and proposed open technical standards for digital content provenance, particularly for publicly released digital media assets.
  • Strategic objectives for securing and authenticating public-facing digital content.
  • Relevant roles and responsibilities across military departments and Department components.
  • Exploration of standardized processes for embedding and verifying content credentials in public-facing Department media.
  • Potential acquisition approaches for supporting technologies and solutions.
  • Metrics to assess the effectiveness, reliability, and scalability of digital content provenance technologies.
  • An engagement mechanism for coordination with relevant stakeholders, including federally funded research and development centers, industry, and academia.
  • Notional milestones and resource needs, disaggregated by fiscal year.
• **Congressional Briefing**: By July 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense must provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on the Department's roadmap. This briefing should address initial findings regarding feasibility, opportunities, and potential barriers; stakeholder engagement to date; and any planned next steps or pilot efforts under consideration.

For the purposes of this bill, "digital content provenance" is defined as the verifiable history and origin of a digital asset, encompassing information about its creation, ownership, and modifications over time.