The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #136320 Message #3112390
Posted By: JohnInKansas
12-Mar-11 - 11:43 AM
Thread Name: BS: Posting pics on the net (security issue)
Subject: RE: BS: Posting pics on the net (security issue)
I don't have a camera that includes GPS capability, although "she" has a phone with a camera. So far as is known, she's never actually taken a picture with it.
Many photo/image editing programs lack the ability even to display the information that's imprinted as part of an original photo. The programs that can display it can sometimes be used to remove or edit the info.
If you really want to post a picture and are concerned, make a print of the picture and scan it back to a new file. The print doesn't contain the data so of course a scan of the print won't give anything away. If you print an 8x10 on plain paper (no high priced photo paper really needed with a decent printer) a scan at 200 or 300 dpi scaled back to a 3x5 inch 96 dpi will have all the resolution needed for ordinary web posting.
Of course that procedure doesn't allow "instant posting" when you snap something your "Friends" just have to see immediately.
Some more sophisticated cameras allow you to turn off the data imprinting, but it's generally an "advanced setting" that may be obscure when you RTFM.
The GPS location would probably be the main thing that would be a serious concern, although the date/time stamp alone could tell someone when you were "not at home" and picture content might indicate how soon you could be back.
There are of course the embarrassing acts recorded in the pics that might haunt you for the rest of your life. They'll probably be just as incriminating in the print.