Can People Find You Using Photos Online?

The Privacy Implications of GPS-Tagged Photos

Photos containing GPS tags are convenient for remembering where images were captured, but the embedded location data raises significant privacy and security concerns. Is there a legitimate reason to be concerned about being tracked through photos shared online?

A Concerned Reader's Question

Dear How-To Geek,

I am writing to you seeking guidance. My mother recently shared a news article with me – one she likely received from a friend with similar protective instincts. The article details how easily location information can be extracted from a photograph. My mother is now very anxious, fearing that I am endangering my children by posting their photos on platforms like Facebook, believing a potential abductor could use this information.

Is this news report simply sensationalism designed to attract viewers, or is it a genuine risk I should address? I would appreciate assistance in reassuring my mother and confirming whether I am inadvertently exposing personal data online.

Sincerely,

Sorta Paranoid Now

Addressing the Social Concerns

Before examining the technical aspects, it’s important to address the underlying anxieties. While it’s natural to worry about the safety of children, the likelihood of harm, even with readily available location data, remains extremely low. The perception of danger often exceeds the actual risk.

News media frequently emphasizes frightening scenarios, but statistical data reveals a different reality. Violent crime rates have consistently decreased in the United States over the past several decades.

Understanding the Statistics

Approximately 800,000 children are reported missing annually in the U.S. However, the majority of these cases involve teenage runaways or disputes over child custody. Truly stranger-initiated abductions are comparatively rare.

• Stranger abductions represent only 0.000125% of all missing persons cases under the age of 18.
• Considering the U.S. population of approximately 74 million individuals aged birth to 18, stranger abductions affect roughly 0.00000135% of children.

Despite this low probability, news outlets rarely highlight these statistics. A more accurate headline would be, "Tonight at 10, the chance of your child being abducted by a stranger is incredibly small!"

Balancing Security and Information Sharing

Although we encourage a rational perspective, practicing good security habits is still prudent. Controlling the dissemination of personal information and managing access to shared data is essential. Having addressed the social considerations, let's now turn to the technical aspects of managing your data’s flow.

Where Is Location Data Stored Within Photos?

Digital photos contain EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data. This represents a standardized collection of meta data, non-visual information attached to images.

Consider this analogous to the blank space on the back of traditional photographs, where details like the date, time, and camera model were often handwritten.

The Utility of EXIF Data

Typically, this data is incredibly useful. Photo organization applications, such as Picasa or Lightroom, leverage EXIF data to provide valuable insights into your images.

This includes details like shutter speed, focal length, and flash usage. For those learning photography, this information is invaluable for reviewing and analyzing past shooting settings.

Furthermore, EXIF data enables features like searching Flickr by camera model, revealing popular equipment choices.

Professional photographers find EXIF data essential for efficiently managing extensive photo libraries.

Location Embedding and Privacy Concerns

Certain cameras and smartphones have the capability to embed location data within the EXIF information. This is where potential privacy concerns arise.

While geotagging can be beneficial for photographers wanting to display photos on maps like Flickr’s, many individuals are uncomfortable with the idea of their photos being linked to precise location data (accurate to within approximately 30 feet).

Importance of Awareness and Control

It’s crucial to understand the features of your photographic equipment. Verify that the device is behaving as expected regarding data embedding.

Utilize available tools to manage and control the information associated with your photos, ensuring your privacy preferences are respected.

Being informed allows you to proactively manage the data your devices are recording.

Geotagging, the process of embedding location data within files, particularly photos and videos, is a common feature on modern smartphones and cameras. However, concerns regarding privacy often lead individuals to seek methods for disabling geotagging.

Understanding Geotagging and Privacy Concerns

When geotagging is enabled, your device records the precise latitude and longitude coordinates where a photo or video was captured. This information can be viewed by anyone with access to the file's metadata. Consequently, sharing images online could inadvertently reveal your location and potentially compromise your personal security.

Why Disable Geotagging?

• Privacy Protection: Preventing the public disclosure of your whereabouts.
• Security Enhancement: Reducing the risk of stalking or burglary by obscuring location data.
• Professional Considerations: Avoiding the unintentional revelation of sensitive locations for work or personal reasons.

Disabling Geotagging on iOS (iPhone/iPad)

Apple's iOS operating system provides a straightforward method for controlling location services, including geotagging. The process involves adjusting the Location Services settings for the Camera app.

Steps for iOS

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Privacy & Security.
3. Select Location Services.
4. Find and tap on Camera.
5. Choose Never or Ask Next Time. Selecting 'Never' permanently disables geotagging for the Camera app.

Choosing 'Ask Next Time' will prompt you each time the Camera app requests location access, giving you control over geotagging on a per-use basis.

Disabling Geotagging on Android

The method for disabling geotagging on Android devices can vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and Android version. However, the general principle remains consistent: accessing the Camera app's settings and toggling the location feature.

Steps for Android

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Access the Settings menu. This is often represented by a gear icon.
3. Look for a setting labeled Location, Location Tagging, or similar.
4. Toggle the setting to the Off position.

Some Android devices may also offer a system-wide setting to control location access for all apps, including the Camera. This can be found within the device's main Settings app under Location or Privacy.

Removing Geotags from Existing Photos

If you've already taken photos with geotagging enabled, you can remove the location data after the fact using various tools. Several applications are available for both desktop and mobile platforms.

Tools for Removing Geotags

• ExifTool: A powerful command-line utility for manipulating metadata.
• MetadataWrangler (macOS): A user-friendly GUI application for editing metadata.
• Online Exif Removers: Numerous websites offer free online tools for removing geotags.

When using online tools, exercise caution and ensure the website is reputable to protect your privacy.

Conclusion

Disabling geotagging is a proactive step towards safeguarding your privacy and security. By understanding the risks associated with location data and utilizing the methods outlined above, you can effectively control the information embedded within your photos and videos. Regularly reviewing your device's location settings is recommended to maintain optimal privacy protection.

 

Initially, it’s important to ascertain if the camera used for capturing images actually incorporates location data embedding capabilities. Many dedicated digital cameras, even high-end DSLRs, typically do not include this feature. The inclusion of GPS tagging is relatively recent, and cameras offering it generally highlight this functionality in their marketing materials.

For instance, Nikon did not integrate GPS tagging into a DSLR model until October 2013. DSLRs equipped with geotagging remain uncommon, leading many professional photographers desiring this capability to purchase separate add-on devices. GPS tagging is somewhat more prevalent in point-and-shoot cameras, but still isn't standard. We suggest researching the specific camera model you own to confirm whether it possesses GPS-tagging and, if so, how to deactivate it.

Smartphones, however, present a different scenario. A key feature of contemporary smartphones is their integrated GPS functionality. This enables accurate navigation, location-based recommendations, and other location-aware services. Consequently, photographs taken with smartphones frequently contain embedded GPS data due to the inclusion of GPS chips within the devices.

However, the presence of a GPS chip doesn't necessitate automatic location tagging of your photos.

On iOS devices, disabling geotagging is straightforward, and you can even control location access on a per-application basis.

Within iOS 7, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. A master toggle for Location Services is available, which we advise keeping enabled due to its importance for many iPhone/iPad features. Below this, individual toggles allow you to manage location access for each app. Disabling the "Camera" toggle prevents the camera application from accessing location data and embedding it within the EXIF data of your photos.

Android offers two approaches to this issue. You can disable geotagging directly within the camera application's settings. The precise path to this setting varies depending on your Android version and camera app, but it’s usually found under Settings/Menu > Location Icon (tapping the icon toggles location services on or off):

Alternatively, you can manage location access system-wide through your phone’s general Settings > Location Access and disable "Access to my location." However, unlike iOS, this is an all-or-nothing setting. Considering the utility of GPS data for applications like Google Maps, we recommend disabling geotagging specifically within the camera app instead.

Verifying the Absence of Geotags in Your Photos

Adjusting your camera or smartphone settings to disable geotagging is a proactive step, but confirmation is crucial. A prudent approach involves verifying that your photos genuinely lack GPS or location data. Fortunately, a simple check of the photo's properties on your computer can be performed without requiring additional software installations.

To illustrate this process, we captured two images – one with geotagging enabled and another with it disabled – for demonstration purposes.

Below is an example of how a geotagged photo appears when its file properties are inspected within Windows:

Consider the following image, which was taken shortly after the previous one, but with geotagging deactivated:

Notice that the section containing the GPS data is entirely absent. The EXIF report proceeds directly from detailed camera settings to fundamental file details.

A wide range of photo management applications, including Windows Live Photo Gallery, Picasa, and Lightroom, are capable of reading EXIF metadata. Even simpler tools like IrfanView, when used with a complimentary plugin, can perform this function.

Removing Location Data from Photos

Should you have disabled geotagging on your camera recently, previously captured photos may still contain location information. If you intend to share or upload older images, it’s prudent to eliminate this data beforehand.

As previously discussed, the file properties window in Windows includes a "Remove Properties and Personal Information" link. To process multiple photos, simply select them, right-click, choose Properties, and then utilize this link within the detailed file view to remove the data in bulk.

Upon selecting this option, a window will appear:

You can choose to create copies of the files with all EXIF data removed. Alternatively, you can selectively remove metadata directly from the original files, though this action is permanent and doesn't create a backup. If you wish to retain some EXIF data for application compatibility but exclude location details, you can specifically strip out the GPS information.

Native, straightforward EXIF data stripping tools aren't included in OSX or Linux operating systems. However, ExifTool is a complimentary, cross-platform application compatible with Windows, OS X, and Linux, enabling batch processing and modification of EXIF data.

If your geotagged photos reside solely on your mobile device and transferring them to a computer is undesirable, another solution exists. PixelGarde is a free application available for Windows, OS X, Android, and iOS, allowing for bulk EXIF data removal directly from your device.

While the likelihood of negative consequences stemming from EXIF data is generally low, particularly when sharing with trusted contacts on social media, removing it remains a sensible precaution. Disabling the feature on your camera or phone is straightforward, and retroactive removal is equally simple. For most users, relying on personal recollection of photo locations is sufficient, especially if precise geotagging isn't required for professional purposes.

Do you have a technology-related question that needs answering? Send an email to ask@howtogeek.com, and we will endeavor to provide a helpful response.