Proving the video was from the time in question

[ta240]

A cop pulled me over today for 'running a red light and reckless driving'. After initially standing firm after I said I had a dash cam, as I pulled up the footage he wavered on maybe he mistook me for another car. I ended up leaving without a ticket but that got me thinking.
If I had gone to court, how would I prove that the video was from the same time as I was pulled over. Time stamps can be easily set and the front camera that caught me going through the green light and me, sanely passing a car that cut me off, didn't catch the police car or officer in frame.
If I leave the car in accessory mode so there is power to the camera and remember to turn the audio recording on as he walks up it could link him to the video. But if it does a recording split after I pull over but before he gets to the car it wouldn't help.
And I have to remember to turn on the audio if it happens. In California I have to tell everyone that gets in the car that I'm recording their audio if I leave it on all the time.
In a wreck you can usually see the impact with the car but it would be easy once pulled over for traffic infractions to set the clock back on the camera and then do the same drive while breaking no laws and even pull over in the same spot.

 

[Agie]

A cop pulled me over today for 'running a red light and reckless driving'. After initially standing firm after I said I had a dash cam, as I pulled up the footage he wavered on maybe he mistook me for another car. I ended up leaving without a ticket but that got me thinking.
If I had gone to court, how would I prove that the video was from the same time as I was pulled over. Time stamps can be easily set and the front camera that caught me going through the green light and me, sanely passing a car that cut me off, didn't catch the police car or officer in frame.
If I leave the car in accessory mode so there is power to the camera and remember to turn the audio recording on as he walks up it could link him to the video. But if it does a recording split after I pull over but before he gets to the car it wouldn't help.
And I have to remember to turn on the audio if it happens. In California I have to tell everyone that gets in the car that I'm recording their audio if I leave it on all the time.
In a wreck you can usually see the impact with the car but it would be easy once pulled over for traffic infractions to set the clock back on the camera and then do the same drive while breaking no laws and even pull over in the same spot.

GPS would show that it was the other guy speeding and running the red light, as it shows the speed. As for recording when an officer tells you to turn off your car and step outside, you'd need something with parking mode.

I'm sure other more informed folks on here would have more specific and detailed information to go into regarding these situations.

 

[Dashmellow]

A cop pulled me over today for 'running a red light and reckless driving'. After initially standing firm after I said I had a dash cam, as I pulled up the footage he wavered on maybe he mistook me for another car. I ended up leaving without a ticket but that got me thinking.
If I had gone to court, how would I prove that the video was from the same time as I was pulled over. Time stamps can be easily set and the front camera that caught me going through the green light and me, sanely passing a car that cut me off, didn't catch the police car or officer in frame.
If I leave the car in accessory mode so there is power to the camera and remember to turn the audio recording on as he walks up it could link him to the video. But if it does a recording split after I pull over but before he gets to the car it wouldn't help.
And I have to remember to turn on the audio if it happens. In California I have to tell everyone that gets in the car that I'm recording their audio if I leave it on all the time.
In a wreck you can usually see the impact with the car but it would be easy once pulled over for traffic infractions to set the clock back on the camera and then do the same drive while breaking no laws and even pull over in the same spot.

All digital still and video files have metadata embedded within them. Still photos contain what is called EXIF data (Exchangeable Image File format which is easy to access. With video files the information is a little harder to access but it is in there. In fact a huge amount of data gets stored in digital video files, including the date and time it was created.

There are a number of free apps available that will allow you to examine the metadata on your video files.

If a skilled video forensics analyst were to get their hands on your files, such as in a courtroom situation there would be a very good chance you would get caught trying to fake your video data. I'm not aware that anyone here has ever even mentioned such a scheme.

 

[Dashmellow]

In case you were curious, this is some of what a forensic dash cam video analyst can do if you were involved in a legal matter that would require their services.

https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com...5595e0d090f57570b51&rr=80bfa64d596a4d0d&cc=us

 

[ta240]

If a skilled video forensics analyst were to get their hands on your files, such as in a courtroom situation there would be a very good chance you would get caught trying to fake your video data. I'm not aware that anyone here has ever even mentioned such a scheme.

To be clear, it isn't a plan to fake a video, it is a worry that in court with a valid video the cop would simply go "how do we know that video was taken when I pulled him over" and the judge would throw it out.

It did dawn on me after posting that I also have a rear camera and I could likely show that the same cars were passing on both videos and the cop was in the rear video.

 

[Dashmellow]

To be clear, it isn't a plan to fake a video, it is a worry that in court with a valid video the cop would simply go "how do we know that video was taken when I pulled him over" and the judge would throw it out.

It did dawn on me after posting that I also have a rear camera and I could likely show that the same cars were passing on both videos and the cop was in the rear video.

Either way, the question of "how do we know that video was taken when I pulled him over" would be definitively answered by examining the metadata embedded in the original video file which would provide the exact time and date that it was created along with a wide range of other salient information.

Please look more carefully at the information I provided in my other posts. Whether you fake a video or want to confirm the validity of an original video, the proof is in the metadata.