Cell Phone Photos Are Unsafe

Spring Chicken

I thought the subject title would get your attention. It got mine and I just learned how my iphone can be unsafe.

Here's the info I received and link to the video.

"Subject: NOT A JOKE Think Before Posting a Photo Online. Important...

Need to be careful with what you post on face book or the net!

Think Before Posting a Photo Online. Important...

Absolutely amazing, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING & SO ARE CRIMINALS!

Bill Myers is a photo guru and a very sharp technician.

In the video below, Myers shows why posting your iPhone and other digital photos to Facebook, YouTube and other online venues is maybe not the smartest idea in the world. Have a look. It is well worth your time if you post photos online:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvZF-yP_ceU


Naturally, the first thing I did was to open up my iphone images, pick one, opened it, went to Properties and looked at all the details of the image. I quickly saw the GPS Coordinates, including Altitude.

Here's the thumbnail photo along with just the GPS information:



I went to Google Earth and entered the coordinates and here's the sky view of the place where I took the photo, a restaurant in Alexandria, Louisiana.



Then I went to Google Earth Street View and here's where I took the photo. More precisely, right about where the white car is parked in front of the restaurant.



This information is obviously correct to just a few feet, probably less than ten feet. And this frightens me NOT knowing this. But I know it now and will be very cautious as to where I take photos with my iphone.

Now I'm going to check to see if my other cameras record the same amount of data.

I recognize that this could be an important 'tool' in the hands of the photographer, or it could be a 'weapon' in the hands of a bad person.

You're welcome

Spring "You Just Never Know" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

awm

I'm not sure about the i phone but im pretty sure you can turn that feature off on a droid.

SmokeyPitt

That is a great point Mr. Chicken. 

On an iPhone you can disable this by going to Settings-->Privacy-->Location Services and turn off "Camera".  

 

henapple

Only after 13 beers...then it's dangerous. )

cazzy

Geo-Tracking is pretty common this day and age. On your phone, just go to Location Services and turn off LS for Camera.  While there...turn off whatever else that makes you scratch your head. 

Eggcelsior

You can also scrub EXIF if you are that anal about it.

henapple

Did you say scrub and anal?

NPHuskerFL

henapple said:

Did you say scrub and anal?

@henapple...I'm gonna add to keeping it classy. I guess my photos of brisket, Spatchcock, steak, lobster etc are safe from "Big Brother" so long as it doesn't involve scrubbing anal. That would just be eggdiculous
)

bicktrav

Wait, I'm confused.  Are random people be able to access the properties of your photo if you're using something like photobucket?

Fred19Flintstone

Eggcelsior

bicktrav said:

Wait, I'm confused.  Are random people be able to access the properties of your photo if you're using something like photobucket?

Yes, unless you turn it off first.

Spaightlabs

A lot of my hunting buddies will send me pics of their success and are always astonished when I can tell them exactly where they were. It's a nice way to figure out where the hunting is good.

Terrebandit

Glass half full or half empty? I can see where having this kind of info might be handy, like tracking the whereabouts of your teenager or possibly tracking a missing person.

Lit

The company I work for builds and maintains cell towers and installs new technology. Almost all sites now have GPS antennas. If there's an emergency and your phone is on they can locate the phone within a couple feet probably less now.

henapple

Cameras are dangerous in Salado