1. A method of authenticating and validating an image by an authentication centric entity, comprising the steps of: receiving from a digital image capture device a digitally signed watermarked still or video image, symmetric key, and metadata, wherein the metadata is in addition to the watermarked still or video image, and is information associated with the image capture, said information including at least one of the following: a time of capture of the image; a date of capture of the image; camera settings at the time of image capture; an orientation of the image capture device at the time of image capture; data concerning movement of the image capture device at the time of image capture; context information including sounds or words captured contemporaneously with the image; a direction in which the image is captured; and signals from nearby cell towers or WiFi hotspots; verifying, by a digital computing device, the authenticity of the watermarked image, symmetric key, and metadata by decrypting the digital signature; storing the watermarked image, symmetric key, and metadata in at least one data storage device; upon receiving a submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity from a sender, comparing the submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity with the previously-authenticated stored watermarked image; if the submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity matches the stored watermarked image or if differences between the submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity and the previously-authenticated stored watermarked images are acceptable differences, retrieving at least the stored metadata; and sending a notification to the sender of the submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity that the submitted image of unconfirmed authenticity is deemed to be at least potentially authentic and valid.