Overview
ISO 24138:2024 - Information and documentation - International Standard Content Code (ISCC) defines a standardized identification system for digital assets. The standard specifies the syntax, structure and metadata of the ISCC, a deterministically constructed data-descriptor built from multiple hash digests. ISCC applies across media sectors to encodings of text, images, audio, video or mixed content. The document also describes encoding options (canonical form, URI, multiformats, readable encodings) and how ISCC metadata can be used with other identifier schemes. ISO 24138:2024 does not cover ISCC registration processes.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Structure and format: A clearly defined ISCC structure comprising an ISCC-HEADER and ISCC-BODY, with rules for MainTypes, SubTypes, versioning and length.
- Deterministic construction: ISCCs are created from multiple hash digests following the algorithms and rules in the standard to ensure reproducible identification of specific digital assets.
- Encoding methods: Specifications for canonical form, URI encoding, multiformats encoding and human-readable encodings to support different technical ecosystems.
- ISCC-UNITs: Components such as Meta-Code, Content-Codes (with subtypes for Text, Image, Audio, Video, Mixed), Data-Code and Instance-Code - each with defined formats, inputs, outputs, processing and conformance requirements.
- ISCC-CODE composition: Guidance on ISCC-CODE purpose, format, subtypes and length/composition rules to produce interoperable content identifiers.
- Metadata handling: Rules for seed metadata processing, embedding and extraction to link ISCCs with descriptive and provenance information.
- Interoperability: Guidelines for using ISCC alongside existing identifier schemes (DOI, ISBN, ISAN, ISRC, ISSN, ISWC) to support metadata linking and cross-system discovery.
Practical applications
- Persistent content identification for publishing, archiving and digital preservation.
- Content deduplication and similarity detection across platforms and repositories.
- Provenance and authenticity tracking in workflows for news, media, scientific data and cultural heritage.
- Rights management and licensing by linking content identifiers to rights metadata and registries.
- Search, discovery and interoperability across libraries, streaming services, marketplaces and research datasets.
- Integration with semantic web and distributed systems using URI and multiformats encodings.
Who should use this standard
- Metadata specialists, digital librarians and archivists
- Publishers, content platforms and streaming services
- Rights organizations, registries and legal teams
- Media production and distribution firms
- Developers working on content provenance, blockchain linking or metadata pipelines
Related standards
- DOI (digital object identification), ISBN (books), ISAN (audiovisual works), ISRC (recordings), ISSN (serials), ISWC (musical works) - ISO 24138:2024 explains how ISCC can complement these established schemes for richer content identification and interoperability.