Did you know that when taking a selfie there is what is called 'Metadata' embedded into the pic? If you have your GPS function turned on while taking the pic, your location will be recorded along with the actual pic.

If you turn off your GPS when taking a pic, then chances are no one will be able to see where it was that you took the picture.

I have included a link to check out the info that has been embedded into your pics, below. It is full of a lot of technical jargon but you should be able to see if your location was recorded.

Does that bother you that your location may be recorded for all the world to see every time you take a selfie?

it's been a known behavior for a long time so really should not be surprising anyone who has made an effort at learning about privacy in the modern world.

My real phone is Android. My camera has a setting to include location data or not. I check every now and then and so far, so good. No location data in the metadata.

I think it is: Camera > Settings (gear icon) > Location Tags OFF

A lot of people don't know. There are new girls in the business for instance who maybe never found that a concern. Or maybe they were 5 when that information was common knowledge..and since everybody knew about it, no one talked about it anymore. So then how would she know when she grew up?

There are always people who don't know absolutely everything there is to know about everything. If they did then why have information? Sorry but maybe if you have some information about this, why won't you share it instead of just trying to make people feel like they are not worthy because they didn't 'make an effort at learning about privacy in the modern world'. Yes along with a 40+hour work week and raising kids, taking care of ailing parents, friend commitments, and commenting on discussion boards there is lots of time to know everything there is to know about 'privacy in the modern world' because it all available one page in one place on the internet. Those lazy people should know better.

END OF MESSAGE

+1!!
XOXO
TL

Hence the wise to share but just sharing the bit about the metadata location tags in the selfies might make people feel safe if they've disabled that in their camera or turn of GPS location (that just make you location a bit fuzzier from a tracking perspective) on phones.

Tablets? got the same issues there, as you will with the smart watches (ever see the bit from Apple about having their watch and getting a greeting by name posted to some LED display in the lobby as you walked into the Conference center?). Then there's all the "free" apps, and even many for pay apps. Moreover, your telco can turn on a number of things, including location, without needing to physically touch the phone and law enforcement can make such a request (emergency locator service).

Laptop -- connect to a WiFi service somewhere. You're location is potentially known -- you bought the laptop with a CC, right. Maybe online and had it shipped? The WiFi network card as a unique number that the government has records on. That can be pulled from any communications going to your laptop unless you have very well installed VPN.

If you're not thinking about all of that then don't think turning off your location tags in you phone's camera is more than a feel-good move in most cases.  

Now, by all means, turn the crap off --- I do as well if I don't need it on for something specifically requiring it. But if someone has a real interest in finding you or knowing if you were in some area and are willing to spend the resources and $ to find/place you there turning off your location and camera location tags is not going to stop it.

The good news is that all that is way too much trouble for who most of us are and for what most of us are doing.

Just to clarify ... My photos are nothing important. When I look at the metadata and file properties, I see either no location fields or empty location fields.  

I have no doubt whatsoever that Big Brother IS watching, but how hard is it for a mortal to get more deeply hidden info?

Location Tags Included = Level 1 tough
Location Tags Off:  
Geek Squad = Level 2  
Nephew = Level 5
NSA = Level 9  

Best Buy Geek Squad tough? 10-year old nephew who already has 5 computers tough? NSA tough?  

Thanks!

I was lounging in my suite at the hotel in Vegas with the movie theme, looking at ads, and realizing that the pics in the ad were taken in the same suite. Who needs metadata?

And another reason I'm happy I don't have an Internet phone, and I don't shoot phone photos of anyone, or "selfies."

-- Modified on 11/1/2016 8:08:56 PM

Thank you.

My point was to bring that up and to do what you can. Especially for girls who might have someone 'enamored' with them enough to check for these little things.

Your right about the 'good news is that all that is way too much trouble for who most of us are and for what most of us are doing.' But some 'admirers' have time on their hands. Maybe not the money but a little bit of knowledge. I believe the girls should have that knowledge too. Every little bit helps.

I had a guy once call me and says he's looked at my pics then asks my location (where I was working) ... then he says he can't tell. That makes me say to myself "can't tell what?" What hotel I took the pics at? How would this guy know what all the hotel rooms look like? Maybe he's been to every one in town?

Then I came across a discussion about metadata and realized the guy was running my pics through an app to find out the location of the pics. I always keep that in the back of my mind. Especially since I never saw the guy. It's one thing if I at least meet the guy, it's another if I will never meet him. That kind of info to put out there knowingly is not safe for me. I try to keep myself as safe as possible...but don't get me started on hotel desk clerks that have access to my real information. They are not always professional and can use their personal time to track me and text me. That's a topic for another day.

I was getting at the "it's a lot more than just the photo" aspect there. You upload your photo to "name a site" that was either via WiFi or your cellular connection -- in either case there is a record now linking your location. If location services are running a fairly good location, if not running a tower area or better if you cross from one tower to another. If you use Wifi you're now linked to an access point -- more than likely a specific store.

The geo tag in the picture may or may not mean anything -- where were you when you took it? At your house? At your in-call? at the mall? Under what situation do we even care?

So while a agreed that sharing that information for those unaware of the technology was good it's really just a false sense of security if that's all one is considering. It's also a question of what one is trying to protect them self from. If it's really about some type of LE investigation then unless you're looking at a lot more than the geo tags in the photos you've left that trail of bread crumbs for them to discover. But in general it's just not worth looking for the crumbs for what most of us are doing. The geo tag is just another of those crumbs LE generally won't waste time looking for.

I think for the providers the safety issue is stalkers that understand how to get the tags (which I believe at least some of the social network sites are taking steps to strip/block for viewers) and they are taking the pics at home. The other real issue was people taking and posting pics of their house and showing off their brand new toy (entertainment center, hottest new TV, jewelry....) and then thieves see it on line, getting the location tags and knowing where to do their next shopping trip.

BTW, while we're all talking about being safe and sensible. I had not looked at your link but just did. I have not clue who the guy is that owns the page but I sure as hell would not be dragging a button from some unknown source and installing it in my browser -- trojan anyone and not the protective type?

Page might be just a well intended exercise by a good person -- probably is -- but huge risk there as well.