Authenticating images identified by a software application

Method facilitates the authentication of images, for example on a web-site. The method includes encoding images. In one embodiment, a search request is received from a terminal and the Internet is searched in accordance with the search request and one or more web-sites identified (if any). An image associated with the identified web-site is checked to see if the image is authentic. This can be achieved by decoding the image to obtain embedded identification information. If the image is authenticated, the image is transmitted as part of a search results list. If the image is not authenticated, the image is not transmitted or a warning that the image has not been authenticated can be provided. A method which facilitates the authentication of an email or other type of electronic document is also disclosed.