Certificate policy

Certificate status, disputes and revocation.

ACC certificates are useful only when their meaning and limits are explicit. This policy defines the current verification boundary.

ACC Legal / Controlled release / Last updated: June 12, 2026

Purpose

This policy explains what an ACC certificate means, what it does not mean, how categories and statuses work, and how partners should read certificate state.

What ACC verifies

  • A declaration was submitted to ACC.
  • The declaration was bound to work metadata.
  • An audio file or asset hash was recorded as a SHA-256 hash.
  • A declaration hash was generated.
  • The certificate has a visible status through public verification and/or ACC API.
  • Certificate events may be included in a ledger batch and anchor proof.

What ACC does not verify

  • ACC does not independently detect whether a work was made with AI.
  • ACC does not determine copyright ownership or authorship.
  • ACC does not guarantee legal clearance.
  • ACC does not guarantee that a declarant's statement is materially true.
  • ACC does not replace legal, rights or platform review.

Categories

  • HUMAN: the declarant states that the material creative expression is human-created.
  • SEMI-MIX: the declarant states that human contribution and AI systems materially shaped the outcome.
  • AI GEN: the declarant states that the work, or a material part of it, was primarily generated by AI systems.

Certificate statuses

  • Draft: a non-public working record.
  • Issued: a certificate has been issued and can be read by public verification or API.
  • Pending anchor: the certificate is waiting for batch or external anchoring.
  • Anchored: the certificate is included in a batch with anchor evidence.
  • Disputed: the certificate is under review after a report or concern.
  • Revoked: the certificate should no longer be used as an active trust signal.

Identity assurance

Level 1 means an email-based declaration. Level 2 means an additional signed declaration evidence file whose metadata and hash are recorded. Level 2 does not automatically mean bank-grade identity verification unless that is separately implemented.

Corrections

Metadata corrections should preserve the integrity of the original record. Where possible, corrections should be represented as a new event or linked update rather than silent replacement.

Disputes and revocation

ACC may mark a certificate as disputed or revoked if a credible issue is reported, the declaration appears unauthorized or false, the mark is used improperly, or continued active status could mislead the market.