What to Look for in a Video Redaction Software?

In today’s world, video plays a vital role across various industries worldwide. For example, in law enforcement, video evidence plays a significant role in criminal investigations. Numerous organizations, including insurance companies and public safety departments, handle video data from different sources.

However, handling video data comes with its own set of challenges. One most significant challenge is the protection of data privacy!

According to KPMG Survey:

“86% of the U.S general population says that data privacy is a growing concern.”

When companies need to handle, store, or share data, especially with third parties or the public, it becomes crucial to ensure that personally identifiable information (PII) is redacted from the video content as per the rules and standards of various compliances such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

To protect data privacy, video redaction tools are gaining popularity. Choosing the right software is crucial, as manual redaction can be a daunting task.

This blog highlights the factors to consider while selecting video redaction software and its importance in safeguarding sensitive information. Making an informed choice ensures a smoother redaction process and compliance with privacy regulations, preserving data integrity.

What is Video Redaction?

Video redaction is used to blur or redact confidential information in videos, such as faces, license plates, and other PII (Personally Identifiable Information).

Video redaction solutions are becoming more and more critical for law enforcement agencies, government organizations, and businesses that handle any form of personal information.

These entities must comply with privacy regulations like GDPR, CJIS, CCPA, and more. Redaction helps to protect sensitive data and ensures adherence to these standards.

Artificial Intelligence and Video Redaction

In recent times, Artificial Intelligence has made remarkable advancements in recognizing faces and license number plates in videos, surpassing human capabilities.

AI has undergone rigorous training and learning to identify objects and detect specific patterns and characteristics, even under challenging conditions such as varying camera angles, distances, and lighting, accurately and efficiently.

AI has fueled the development and automation of several existing and new technologies in ways that could only be imagined 20 years ago. The benefits of AI are quite notable. One of the foremost benefits is how fast the redaction process has become.

AI-Powered Redaction simplifies and streamlines the process of detection and redaction, saving both time and expenses that would otherwise be spent on employing multiple individuals to perform these tasks separately.

Instead of relying on a team of people, this single tool can efficiently handle all the tasks, making the process more efficient and cost-effective.

Are you considering to purchase video redaction software but don’t know which one to buy?

What should you look for when selecting the best video redaction software for your organization or agency?

Here are 6 key questions you should ask before making the final decision for your video redaction platform.

6 Key Considerations before Buying Video Redaction Software

Selecting the right video redaction tool demands careful consideration regarding its ability to effectively redact sensitive media files before public release. Inadequate redaction techniques could have significant consequences in the form of compliance violations and hefty fines.

Therefore, it is crucial to choose a software solution that ensures proper redaction to maintain integrity and trustworthiness.

Look at some essential features and capabilities that video redaction software should have.

Is it Simple and Easy to Use?

Preparing evidence for court, responding to FOIA requests, and tackling media inquiries occupies your two most valuable resources: people and time.

Video redaction software makes the redaction process quick and easy by recognizing faces, people, vehicles, license plates, and small objects in the video clip.

• With user-friendly video redaction software, users can efficiently identify and redact confidential information without hassle, resulting in significant time savings.

• Being easier to use means it can be used by a broader range of individuals, including those with limited skills.

Does the Solution Store Data on the Cloud?

Utilizing cloud-based redaction solutions comes with numerous advantages, leading to a growing trend among businesses adopting this option. The cloud-based approach simplifies operations by freeing up device space and relocating solutions and software to off-site servers. This, in turn, results in a more efficient and streamlined process. 

Other Key Benefits:

• Better/Faster processing on the cloud than most on-premises systems.

• Much simpler to manage access control to multiple users/accounts in the cloud vs. on-premises.

• Quicker and easier deployment in the cloud due to consistent architecture, as on-premises machines can differ in various ways.

Does the Solution Support Various Formats?

The increasing use of video and the variety of video formats have created a need for format-agnostic video redaction software. This type of software can redact video in any format, which makes it more versatile and easier to use.

• Redacting video in any format without converting it first can save time and effort.

• It can improve accuracy by redacting video accurately, regardless of the format.

• It can be used with various devices, making it easy to use regardless of your location or available device.

Is it an AI Powered Video Redaction Platform?

AI-enabled redaction software is like having a superhuman that can detect and blur all the sensitive material before a human can even watch the video's first minute.

Video redaction software is incomplete without automatic detection capabilities. Automated detection features typically include the ability to detect PII or sensitive business information in videos.

Apart from face and license plate detection, other essential functionalities of a robust video redaction should include the following:

• Automatic person detection.

• Automatic vehicle detection.

• Automatic weapons detection.

• Audio Redaction.

Does the Platform Offer Audio Redaction?

As video often includes audio, a competent redaction tool must offer audio redaction capabilities. Audio redaction usually entails deleting or concealing certain parts of an audio recording to safeguard sensitive data.

It is crucial to remember that audio redaction may be challenging, mainly when working with live audio recordings or audio with numerous speakers, since the deletion of certain portions may make it harder to follow the dialogue.

Does It Have Video Retention Schedules?

Understanding the duration of video storage is crucial. The timelines for video retention can vary significantly based on how your organization utilizes the videos.

It is essential to be aware of these variations to ensure proper management and compliance with relevant policies and regulations.

Some security videos may only be required to be kept for 30 days, although some law enforcement investigational records may be required to be kept for up to 75 years.

In addition, Video redaction software should provide video retention policies for video data gathered and processed by the organizations and FOIA officers.

Are you ready to explore these features firsthand with VIDIZMO Redactor?

VIDIZMO Redactor: State of the Art Video Redaction Software

VIDIZMO Redactor offers multiple features for automatic detection, tracking and redaction of personal information like faces, people, and license plates within videos. This platform uses the power of artificial intelligence to ensure accurate and efficient identification and tracking of sensitive content, saving valuable time.

Here are some of the key features of the VIDIZMO Redactor:

• Automatic Detection and Tracking: VIDIZMO Redactor can automatically detect and track personal information such as faces, people, license plates, and other sensitive details within videos.

• Multiple Video Redaction Styles: Users can apply redaction styles like blur, pixelation, or solid boxes over sensitive information in video files, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

• Audio Redaction: The tool can bleep or mute specific spoken words in audio clips containing personally identifiable information (PII), safeguarding individuals' privacy without compromising audio quality.

• Video Editing Capabilities: VIDIZMO Redactor offers video editing features to remove unnecessary parts from videos or split videos into multiple segments.

• Manual Video Redaction: VIDIZMO Redactor allows users to manually redact sensitive information along with automatic detection for maximum accuracy.

• User-Friendly Interface: VIDIZMO Redactor has a straightforward interface that takes no time to master for the user.

• Flexible Deployment Options: VIDIZMO provides various deployment choices to suit organizational needs, including on the cloud, on-premises, and hybrid infrastructure.

If you're interested in trying out VIDIZMO Redactor, then choose our free trial.

Overall, VIDIZMO Redactor is competent and user-friendly redaction software. It is a go-to solution for individuals or companies who need to safeguard sensitive information in their videos, audio recordings and images.

Final Thought

When selecting video redaction software for your organization or agency, there are several key considerations to remember. Firstly, the software should be simple and easy to use, allowing users to efficiently identify and redact sensitive information without hassle. The cloud storage capability is beneficial as it provides better/faster processing, easier access control management, and quicker deployment. Format agnosticism is crucial, enabling the software to redact video in any format without needing conversion.