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For example, If I were to post something like an image I downloaded from somewhere else, and uploaded it from my phone would it show the Metadata from my phone or from the place I saved it from? How does that work? How do I scrub it, etc.

Thanks.

For example, If I were to post something like an image I downloaded from somewhere else, and uploaded it from my phone would it show the Metadata from my phone or from the place I saved it from? How does that work? How do I scrub it, etc. Thanks.

(post is archived)

[–] [deleted] • 2 pts (edited )

Downloading someone else's image to your phone shouldn't have any effect, but I can't guarantee that. Editing the photo has a good chance of adding some metadata from your phone, depending on the app used. I believe location data typically is only added when location services are on at the time you take the photo. Again, I wouldn't guarantee any of that, but I'd say it's 98% true 99% of the time.

Some metadata(EXIF) you can clear by going into the properties or details of the file. Others, you'd need special software to scrub everything. There's plenty of free software that will do this, on every platform, including Android and iOS. I think Windows will let you make a copy of a file with no metadata, but I'd opt for a non-Microsoft app.

Uploading...it depends. I BELIEVE Pic8 strips metadata for us. I wouldn't swear to it, but I believe so. Facebook consumes and monetizes the shit out of it, as does any other mainstream social network or image hosting service(Apples cloud, OneDrive, Google Photos)

[–] • 0 pt

downloading a COPY (yes, it will always be a copy) will affect the metadata for time created and accessed.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Yeah, but those are file attributes, not EXIF metadata, and would change once uploaded to another system...since you're just uploading a copy.

[–] • 0 pt

still metadata, but that's FS metadata

[–] • 0 pt

Everyone should be using an EXIF data clearer? I don't know the right term but you need to manually make sure your exif data is erased from the photos. And to answer the question, Metadata is just data attached to an image or file that has supporting or detailed information about the said image or file.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Some EXIF data isn't available to clear through a file properties interface. You often need a third party app that can clear it, unless you're fairly adept with a hex editor and know what you're looking for.

[–] • 1 pt

Typically the Metadata you are concerned about comes from the creation of the image, but any software that can edit an image has potential to edit it's Metadata.

There are online tools that strip it all out. I don't have a favorite, I usually just Google it every time I need to

[–] • 1 pt

filesystem also alters metadata

created by, time created, time accessed, etc

[–] • 0 pt

Good to know.

[–] • 0 pt

If you right click and go to properties, Windows will do it too

[–] • 0 pt

Generally as a safety precaution, wherever you upload a file metadata should be stripped by the receiving server. What happens usually is our big tech friends will store the metadata separately in a big database.

You'll want to strip the metadata yourself to be safe, some sites ignore it completely and if it's shared it will still have the metadata so anyone can see it.

[–] • 0 pt

Unless you take a crazy amount of steps if you have a cell phone with data everything you do can be tracked and pin-pointed to you. I just don't give a shit anymore. I will see you in the gulag.