diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 5bf10f0..67681fd 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ from apscheduler.schedulers.background import BackgroundScheduler
 import random
 from colorthief import ColorThief
 import colorsys
+from steganography import embed_message, extract_message
+import hashlib
+
 app = Flask(__name__)
 app.secret_key = os.urandom(24)
 config = load_or_create_config()
@@ -146,20 +149,34 @@ def admin_upload():
         filename = secure_filename(file.filename)
         file_path = os.path.join(app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER'], filename)
         file.save(file_path)
-        
-        # Generate thumbnails
-        generate_thumbnails(filename)
-        
+
         # Extract EXIF data
         exif = None
+        exifraw = None
         with Image.open(file_path) as img:
+            exifraw = img.info['exif']
             width, height = img.size
             exif = {
                 ExifTags.TAGS[k]: v
                 for k, v in img._getexif().items()
                 if k in ExifTags.TAGS
             }
+        
+        # Generate a unique key for the image
+        unique_key = hashlib.sha256(f"{filename}{datetime.now().isoformat()}".encode()).hexdigest()[:16]
+        
+        # Embed the unique key into the image
+        try:
+            embed_message(file_path, unique_key, exifraw)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            flash(f"Error embedding key: {str(e)}")
+            os.remove(file_path)
+            return redirect(url_for('admin'))
 
+        
+        # Generate thumbnails
+        generate_thumbnails(filename)
+        
         # Get image dimensions
         with Image.open(file_path) as img:
             width, height = img.size
@@ -183,7 +200,8 @@ def admin_upload():
             orientation=int(exif.get('Orientation', 1)),
             width=width,
             height=height,
-            highlight_color=get_highlight_color(THUMBNAIL_FOLDER + f"/{os.path.splitext(filename)[0]}/256_{filename}")
+            highlight_color=get_highlight_color(THUMBNAIL_FOLDER + f"/{os.path.splitext(filename)[0]}/256_{filename}"),
+            unique_key=unique_key
         )
         db_session.add(new_photo)
         db_session.commit()
@@ -270,6 +288,25 @@ def delete_photo(photo_id):
         db_session.close()
         return jsonify({'success': False, 'error': str(e)}), 500
 
+@app.route('/verify/<filename>', methods=['GET'])
+def verify_image(filename):
+    file_path = os.path.join(app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER'], filename)
+    if not os.path.exists(file_path):
+        return jsonify({'verified': False, 'error': 'Image not found'})
+    
+    try:
+        extracted_key = extract_message(file_path, 16)
+        db_session = DBSession()
+        photo = db_session.query(Photo).filter_by(input_filename=filename).first()
+        db_session.close()
+        
+        if photo and photo.unique_key == extracted_key:
+            return jsonify({'verified': True, 'message': 'Image ownership verified'})
+        else:
+            return jsonify({'verified': False, 'message': 'Image ownership could not be verified'})
+    except Exception as e:
+        return jsonify({'verified': False, 'error': str(e)})
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     app.run(
         debug=True, 
diff --git a/models.py b/models.py
index 58df87c..0fb6b68 100644
--- a/models.py
+++ b/models.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class Photo(Base):
     height = Column(Integer)
     highlight_color = Column(String)
     orientation = Column(Integer)
+    unique_key = Column(String(16), nullable=False)  # Add this line
 
 engine = create_engine('sqlite:///photos.db')
 Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
diff --git a/steganography.py b/steganography.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8339b6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/steganography.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+from PIL import Image
+import numpy as np
+
+def string_to_binary(message):
+    return ''.join(format(ord(char), '08b') for char in message)
+
+def embed_message(image_path, message, exifraw):
+    # Open the image
+    img = Image.open(image_path)
+    # Convert image to numpy array
+    img_array = np.array(img)
+
+    # Flatten the array
+    flat_array = img_array.flatten()
+
+    # Convert message to binary
+    binary_message = string_to_binary(message)
+    
+    # Check if the message can fit in the image
+    if len(binary_message) > len(flat_array):
+        raise ValueError("Message is too long to be embedded in this image")
+
+    # Embed the message
+    for i, bit in enumerate(binary_message):
+        flat_array[i] = (flat_array[i] & 0xFE) | int(bit)
+
+    # Reshape the array back to the original image shape
+    stego_array = flat_array.reshape(img_array.shape)
+
+    # Create a new image from the modified array
+    stego_img = Image.fromarray(stego_array.astype('uint8'), img.mode)
+    
+    # Save the image
+    stego_img.save(image_path, exif=exifraw)
+
+def extract_message(image_path, message_length):
+    # Open the image
+    img = Image.open(image_path)
+    # Convert image to numpy array
+    img_array = np.array(img)
+
+    # Flatten the array
+    flat_array = img_array.flatten()
+
+    # Extract the binary message
+    binary_message = ''.join([str(pixel & 1) for pixel in flat_array[:message_length * 8]])
+
+    # Convert binary to string
+    message = ''.join([chr(int(binary_message[i:i+8], 2)) for i in range(0, len(binary_message), 8)])
+
+    return message