Geo-tagging - PLEASE READ

[dunluce]

I agree with this post, but I think we have to also realise (especially the UK). A lot of coppers struggle using social media tools, let alone metadata in pics.

Not a copper here, but just because a lot of them struggle with tech, doesn't mean there isn't a lot of them that are really good at it.

You'd be surprised, I think, at what information someone can find out if they want to.

[Reaverman]

I agree with this post, but I think we have to also realise (especially the UK). A lot of coppers struggle using social media tools, let alone metadata in pics.

Not a copper here, but just because a lot of them struggle with tech, doesn't mean there isn't a lot of them that are really good at it.

You'd be surprised, I think, at what information someone can find out if they want to.

Agreed mate, always worth be careful!

[Yummyrum]

OK , I was pretty sure HD forum strips off the Metadata from your pics when you upload them . So I did a little test to see .
Heres a pic I took today with GPS on . ( I normally have it off ...but I turned it on for this )
I have an ap on my phone called “View Exif “ that can look at the Meta data associated with a pic .

This is the pic I took ,and the Metadata screenshots from my phone before I uploaded it .

[Yummyrum]

So now I have saved the pic off the HD forum and looked at the Metadata using “View Exif” ap

9F0B505C-FDE2-446C-9CB8-5B876F90487E.jpeg (37.15 KiB) Viewed 9425 times

As you can see , all the Metadata has been stripped off except the image size ( after HD forum has rescaled it ) and the file name .
Unfortunately it also removes the orientation data , hence the pic is on it’s on its side .

But as you can see nothing about location or device photo was taken off is there . HD forum strips it off for you when you upload a pic

[Yummyrum]

Just out of curiosity , this is the Metadata ( off the picture in my phone ) of a old pic I took with with Location switched off in phone settings .

Everything is there except the long/lat/elevation data and the google map pin . So it would appear that the Iphone does block that data if you turn it off .

[Yummyrum]

Iffn you were wondering what the raw data down the bottom shows ... knock your self out

[Hügelwilli]

Yummyrum,
this is, what I get from your picture:

Doesn't look like HD strips the data out.

There is a button in the ACP (administrator control panel) to automatically strip out the EXIF data from uploaded jpg-files.

[SomethingObscure]

Yeah I can confirm. Scary stuff.

Edited to add...

Iphone6s !!!!

[Yummyrum]

OK thanks guys . I am surprised to see this but am pleased that you have checked and proved me wrong .
What App or program are you guys using ?

[cob]

Yummyrum, SomethingObscure, and Hügelwilli thanks for staying on

top of this for those of us that are more tech challenged.

there has to be a nod to Husker for his work also thanks.

[Yummyrum]

Cob , I hope you didn’t miss the point .

I was wrong .HD Forum does not strip off the location data

So you must turn it off on your phone before uploading pics .

Again I am sorry . At least we know now .Unfortunately the cheap App I was using to test gave the illusion that it was safe but whatever Hugel was using could still pic it up .

[cob]

Cob , I hope you didn’t miss the point .

I was wrong .HD Forum does not strip off the location data

So you must turn it off on your phone before uploading pics .

Again I am sorry . At least we know now .Unfortunately the cheap App I was using to test gave the illusion that it was safe but whatever Hugel was using could still pic it up .

nope I understood perfectly. My moratorium on posting pictures here is

still on and will remain on until Microsoft freezes over.

your work is appreciated.

[silverbean]

Any photos I have posted I turn off location on my phone before taking photo then upload to laptop, open in MS paint save as BMP then open BMP file and save as JPG then upload that file. Pretty sure BMP's don't have any meta data. But to be honest I don't think my local boys in blue go looking for small timers only act if it comes to their attention.

[SomethingObscure]

Double post

Sorry

[SomethingObscure]

I wonder if Tapatalk will strip the metadata.
Figure it's just another feature they can add to the premium service.

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
-Albert Einstein

[SomethingObscure]

It appears that my hunch is correct Tapatalk both resizes and stripes the metadata. But I would rather be safe than sorry. And turn off the geotagging feature.

SomethingObscure

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
-Albert Einstein

[Hügelwilli]

I got the same location information with the tapatalk-picture.
Edit: Sorry. Wrong. Yes. The Tapatalk-Pic has no Exif data.

Simply click on the picture (open it in a new window), then right-click, safe onto your computer and then drag and drop the picture there: https://www.pic2map.com/

Yummyrum, you should contact an admin for this. It is only one simple setting in the administrator control panel and HD will strip the exif data of all new uploaded jpgs automatically. No extension needed. They will find it somewhere under "attachments". But it works only for jpg. Not for png and also not for selfmade ods, xls, pdf and other.

Edit: Here a screenshot of the setting in the acp unfortunately in German language:

In English in the main page of the acp there is somewhere "board configuration" and one line under that probably "attachments" or "attachments settings" and there you will find the option to strip out the meta data automatically. It works.

[Yummyrum]

Thanks hugelwilli
Its above my paygrade but I will pass it on to Tater or Uncle Jesse.
It sure would make folk around here feel a lot safer if we could do this .

[SomethingObscure]

Seconded.

Nice work Higelwilli

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
-Albert Einstein

[Tater]

here is what shows on that page here ---- Attachment settings
Here you can configure the main settings for attachments and the associated special categories.

Attachment settings
Allow attachments:
Yes No
Allow attachments in private messages:
Yes No
Upload directory:
Storage path for attachments. Please note that if you change this directory while already having uploaded attachments you need to manually copy the files to their new location.
files
Attachment display order:
Display attachments ordered by time.
Descending Ascending
Total attachment quota:
Maximum drive space available for attachments for the whole board, with 0 being unlimited.
0

Bytes
Maximum file size:
Maximum size of each file. If this value is 0, the uploadable filesize is only limited by your PHP configuration.
4

MiB
Maximum file size messaging:
Maximum size of each file, with 0 being unlimited, attached to a private message.
60

KiB
Maximum number of attachments per post:
6
Maximum number of attachments per private message:
0
Enable secure downloads:
With this option enabled, downloads are limited to IP’s/hostnames you define.
Yes No
Allow/Deny list:
Change the default behaviour when secure downloads are enabled of the Allow/Deny list to that of a whitelist (Allow) or a blacklist (Deny).
Allow Deny
Allow empty referrer:
Secure downloads are based on referrers. Do you want to allow downloads for those omitting the referrer?
Yes No
Check attachment files:
Some browsers can be tricked to assume an incorrect mimetype for uploaded files. This option ensures that such files likely to cause this are rejected.
Yes No
Image category settings [Assigned extension group: Images]
Display images inline:
If set to No image attachments will show as a link.
Yes No
Create thumbnail:
Create a thumbnail in all possible situations.
Yes No
Maximum thumbnail width/height in pixel:
A generated thumbnail will not exceed the width set here.
300
px
Minimum thumbnail file size:
Do not create a thumbnail for images smaller than this.
16000
Bytes
Maximum image dimensions:
Maximum size of image attachments. Set both values to 0px by 0px to disable dimension checking.
1600
x
1600
px
Image link dimensions:
Display image attachment as an inline text link if image is larger than this. To disable this behaviour, set the values to 0px by 0px.
0
x
0
px

Secure Downloads are not enabled. The settings below will be applied after enabling secure downloads.

Define allowed IPs/hostnames
To specify several different IPs or hostnames enter each on a new line. To specify a range of IP addresses separate the start and end with a hyphen (-), to specify a wildcard use “*”.

IP addresses or hostnames:
Exclude IP from allowed IPs/hostnames:
Enable this to exclude the entered IP/hostname.
Yes No

Remove or un-exclude allowed IPs/hostnames
You can remove (or un-exclude) multiple IP addresses in one go using the appropriate combination of mouse and keyboard for your computer and browser. Excluded IPs have a blue background.

IP addresses or hostnames:
99.189.235.12

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[Tater]

anyone know where to change setting ?

[SomethingObscure]

anyone know where to change setting ?

None of the settings there seem to talk about metadata or Exif data.

what platform is it?

[Hügelwilli]

It should be under "Maximum size of image attachments".
If it is not there, perhaps the automatic removing metadata is a feature your phpbb-Version doesn't have? Do you use phpBB3.3 or still 3.2? If you still use 3.2, then probably you will be able to change it after the next update. IMO then it's time for an update anyway. 3.3 doesn't look different than 3.2, but 3.2 is technically outdated. Sooner or later the security risks grow still using 3.2.

[Tater]

This is uncle jesses turf ill make sure he see this topic

[Uncle Jesse]

I don't have this option in my admin settings under "attachments".

Perhaps I will when I can upgrade the PHPBB software. I tried a while ago but it didn't work. I'll try again soon but honestly, it scares me.

I got the same location information with the tapatalk-picture.
Edit: Sorry. Wrong. Yes. The Tapatalk-Pic has no Exif data.

Simply click on the picture (open it in a new window), then right-click, safe onto your computer and then drag and drop the picture there: https://www.pic2map.com/

Yummyrum, you should contact an admin for this. It is only one simple setting in the administrator control panel and HD will strip the exif data of all new uploaded jpgs automatically. No extension needed. They will find it somewhere under "attachments". But it works only for jpg. Not for png and also not for selfmade ods, xls, pdf and other.

Edit: Here a screenshot of the setting in the acp unfortunately in German language:
acp.jpg
In English in the main page of the acp there is somewhere "board configuration" and one line under that probably "attachments" or "attachments settings" and there you will find the option to strip out the meta data automatically. It works.

[Hügelwilli]

It won't get easier if you wait longer.
Some people prefer to go to the dentist twice a year other people go once in ten years.

[Stonecutter]

This is definitely something every member should be aware of.

https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy ... exif-data/

It looks like doing a screenshot of a picture before uploading is a work around. This may be especially important to members uploading pictures of firearms and still equipment. Stay safe out there everybody. And it ain’t just the “boys in blue” in your local police department looking for information as has said in earlier posts. This kind of information could be very useful for anyone wanting to create problems for the people in our hobby.

[contrahead]

Late to this party, my attention was only drawn to this thread because of its top ranking in “Active Topics” a few minutes ago.

Reading the thread from the top down instead of from the bottom up as I probably should have; I became confused on the first page – with the picture of the Llama. The text with the example picture explains: “this picture has the GPS data that will tell you where the Lama is sitting to within 10feet”. But it doesn't. It might have had once upon a time – but the picture is void of metadata now. Confusing.

Skipping to the 4th (last page) in the thread, we find Yummyrum providing two example pictures – both dripping with EXIF info. When Yummyrum assumes the location data is stripped by HD but discovers it isn't, he ask: “What App or program are you guys using” ? I'm not sure he ever gets an answer.

I don't do smart phones. I don't even like dumb phones. But examining or erasing EXIF and IPTC from a JPG photo is child's play. Another commentator mentioned that he converts pictures to BMP format and back again, which would be an effective but laborious method of removing location data. As far as I am aware, the only 'common' image formats to exploit EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data are JPG, TIFF and PNG. (99.9% of pictures sent from cell phones will be JPGs).

Simply find any graphics viewer or editor that's more sophisticated than damn MS Paint. There is a multitude of them, freely available. Personally I've used Irfanview daily, for about the last twenty years and consider it indispensable. Its freeware. Just open a picture, click on “Image” and then “Information” – and BOOM; if there is any metadata within the file then an “EXIF info” button appears for you to further examine.

I have the data for both of Yummyrum's examples in this shot, side by side. (I added a “2” the the second file's name). Then I'm given a choice of 4 different ways to seek out the location with maps or satellite.

This is what the hidden data looks like from Adobe Photoshop CS2 (an ancient 2005 version of Photoshop that is legitimately available for free download).

[Hapican]

I use tinypic.com to upload photos. Do you know if this strips the location data?

It does not. The geolocation tag is part of the original meta data. For Android, go to play store. There are several aps that can "remove pic location" data.

As stated earlier, whether Android or iPhone, there is a settings adjustment to not log location data but by default location data IS ecorded.

[Yonder]

Well folks let me kick this oldie. I was a forensics expert in a prior life and taught classes in using things on electronics people just didn’t know about. Yes geo tagging is real. Yes, I could take your phone and map every where you’d been. Yes, when you delete things they aren’t really gone, just no longer indexed. I once took a computer that had crashed, had Windows reinstalled and recovered over 7000 pictures from it. If you’re concerned, remove the metadata before posting but, really, if someone wanted to locate you from your posts They could do so but, seriously why would they bother? Heard of any crackdowns on utube posters distilling on camera? The last “moonshine” arrest in my state was ‘14 when some ass set up AND sold next to a high school. Don’t be a fool, don’t piss off your ex or your neighbors. Hell, they don’t even go after thieves anymore. You’re worth a couple of tax bucks to the government.