Photo geo tagging

[aerialfilm1]

Just the other day a friend sent me a link to some software that removed geo tagging info from your photos. I glanced over it and thought my bud Grant was spamming me. Well I'm not sure about the link and the software so I won't post it, but the email got my attention.

It talked of how geo tagging is becoming popular for photos and how some gps enabled cameras and camera phones do it automatically. OK cool so what's the big deal? The problem is this location info can be in the exif info in the pic wether you want it or not. One example they site is suppose you take a pic of the kids in the backyard or at a soccer game. Well if that photo and info gets circulated and some pedderass gets a hold of it, you have just given him/ her the location of your kids. Or suppose you're selling your bike on the internet? You want people stopping by unannounced? So far it makes sense to me.

Again I haven't got my head completely around this so anyone with a good grasp of this feel free to enlighten me.

[GrafikFeat]

Personally, I'd be more worried about what's coming out of my kitchen faucet. :drink

As for tagging images... It is an option that one employs.
So if you didn't want that info embedded you'd simply turn off the gps.

One Such Camera Add-On. (http://www.adorama.com/ICDPGPSN1.html?sid=1250964588191724)

[marchyman]

It talked of how geo tagging is becoming popular for photos and how some gps enabled cameras and camera phones do it automatically. OK cool so what's the big deal? The problem is this location info can be in the exif info in the pic wether you want it or not. One example they site is suppose you take a pic of the kids in the backyard or at a soccer game. Well if that photo and info gets circulated and some pedderass gets a hold of it, you have just given him/ her the location of your kids. Or suppose you're selling your bike on the internet? You want people stopping by unannounced? So far it makes sense to me.

Again I haven't got my head completely around this so anyone with a good grasp of this feel free to enlighten me.

Removing such info falls into the realm of security by obscurity. Anyone in the security business will tell you that security by obscurity may make you feel good, but does not add any real security. That said, it doesn't do any harm, either. If it makes you feel better, go for it, just don't believe it will stop bad things from happening.

My biases: My real name is all over the internet (google says 140,000 hits when using First M. Last -- I doubt that all of them are me, but all on the first page are :laugh). I've a map to my house on my web page. I provide a free application for mac users to add geolocation info to their pictures. My website includes plenty of pics of my grandson, some with embedded geolocation info. About the only thing I hide is my telco number to minimize junk calls.