If you post pictures here you might want to read this

[reible]

What I can't get pass is why anyone would think to include such information which is hidden and unknown to most people. There had to be a motive and I would like to know who made the decision to include this info and what their thinking was. Likewise I would like to know why they then decided not to make this common knowledge.

Frankly I think it was very Big Brother ish!

This information is not new. Only certain cameras have the feature but with smart phones with cameras and GPS we are starting to see more of it.

One of the features that makes this nice is if you are traveling about and then want to add the data to a trip log. It is nice to see where and when you took the photo. Certain map programs allow you to add the data as well so you can have map data and picture data that is associated.

I have the capacity to do this if I take my GPS along then sync the camera time to the GPS time then run a program to associates them. I have a few people who have actually requested me to add that data to some of my pictures.

If you have a smart phone or camera with this capacity you have the option to turn this on/off and if you want it for your own information or to share with friends and family you can leave it on, just strip the data when posting to sites like this.

As for common knowledge, it is, and I've seen a good deal of coverage on the subject but just like anything else not everyone pays attention or understands what they are hearing, or even cares about the issue. For those that were not informed, at least now you are if you are reading this post.

If the government really wanted to keep more tabs on us there would be smart phones for $50 and unlimited service for $10 a month. Then people like me might even have one. I guess for now they will have to track me by where I use my credit card, which would show 11 hardware shopping trips last month. Oh wait that not only the government tracking me but yet other groups.... ones who after any money I might have hoped to have saved.

Ed

[frank81]

My understanding is that the location, date and time were included with photo data so that you could post Pictures to the social network sights to 'prove' to your "friends" where you were when you took the pictures.

There are other uses. I have a program on my phone and tablet from Trimble navigation that saves maps offline, then plots GPS (GPS always works regardless of cell signal). It's for hunting, and there is a fishing version as well. One of the features lets you take a trophy photo and adds all kinds of data about the animal. You can take pictures of the exact spot you set up in, or landmarks on the trail of breadcrumbs the GPS is plotting. You can go back and see where you're having the most luck, at what time of day, weather conditions, etc.

[lightnin]

Every Phone camera I've had capable of gps location tagging also had the option of turning it off.
I've always turned it off but if I were traveling I'd turn it on to be able to find location if I ever wanted to.

[JPG]

The exif data is primarily of use to professional photographers. This 'feature' became possible with digital cameras. The gps data is a relatively new addition to the data. I assume it is not the last.

Exif is not the only extra stuff stored with a jpeg file.

[RichardQualls]

How does one go about either stripping this data (does imageoptim work well?) or setting their smartphone so as to to add that info to a picture?

I have the iPhone 5 and don't see any setting to change that.

Thanks for the head's up!

[dgale]

How does one go about either stripping this data (does imageoptim work well?) or setting their smartphone so as to to add that info to a picture?

I have the iPhone 5 and don't see any setting to change that.

Thanks for the head's up!

On the iPhone 5, go to Settings>Privacy>Location Services and toggle "Camera" to off.

As for how to strip the data from existing photos, do you have your photos on a PC or a Mac?

[Ed in Tampa]

My understanding is that the location, date and time were included with photo data so that you could post Pictures to the social network sights to 'prove' to your "friends" where you were when you took the pictures.

Then some less scrupulous persons would note that X person was taking pictures at (eg.) the Grand Canyon, There Home Profile Picture shows them at 1234 Main, Hobokin, New Jersey. Now is probably a good time to rob their house since no one is home...

Letting unknown people know no one is home at your house and are at least a day out is probably not a good idea.

I hear you and I think I understand. But let me say this, if I had to prove to my "Friends" that I was in fact where I said I was when I took the picture, I would get new friends. My friends believe me and I believe them, we don't need GPS to prove something.

[Ed in Tampa]

This information is not new. Only certain cameras have the feature but with smart phones with cameras and GPS we are starting to see more of it.

One of the features that makes this nice is if you are traveling about and then want to add the data to a trip log. It is nice to see where and when you took the photo. Certain map programs allow you to add the data as well so you can have map data and picture data that is associated.

I have the capacity to do this if I take my GPS along then sync the camera time to the GPS time then run a program to associates them. I have a few people who have actually requested me to add that data to some of my pictures.

If you have a smart phone or camera with this capacity you have the option to turn this on/off and if you want it for your own information or to share with friends and family you can leave it on, just strip the data when posting to sites like this.

As for common knowledge, it is, and I've seen a good deal of coverage on the subject but just like anything else not everyone pays attention or understands what they are hearing, or even cares about the issue. For those that were not informed, at least now you are if you are reading this post.

If the government really wanted to keep more tabs on us there would be smart phones for $50 and unlimited service for $10 a month. Then people like me might even have one. I guess for now they will have to track me by where I use my credit card, which would show 11 hardware shopping trips last month. Oh wait that not only the government tracking me but yet other groups.... ones who after any money I might have hoped to have saved.

Ed

Thanks for the info.

I am really not a picture person. So I don't really pay much attention to things like this because I will probably never take a picture with GPS info on it and I know I would never post a picture to social network.