How to Protect Your Privacy When Taking Pictures with Smartphones

Keep your kids safe!

Did you know that your privacy may be at risk when you take and post an image online from your smartphone?

How

Because of the GPS Geo-tag data that is embedded within each image.

Why is it dangerous?

Because bad people can use this data to track down exactly where the picture was taken via Google Maps. Yep, it’s scary.

Local News Report

Technical details

This embedded data is called Exchangeable Image File Format or (EXIF) Among other things this data can provide are specific details like whether the camera flash was used, different types of digital effects were applied and even when the photo was taken. What makes this particularly difficult to control overall is that most smartphones come with this Geo-tag feature enabled by default.

So how to protect yourself and your kids’ privacy?

Disable the GPS Geo-tag feature within your smartphone:

How to Disable Photo GPS Geo-tag Feature on IPhones:

Click Settings
Click General
Click “Location Services”
Select On/Off switch next to “Camera” to OFF
Exit settings

How to Disable Photo GPS Geo-tag Feature on Androids

Open Camera Application
Click Menu
Click Settings Icon
Click Geo-tag Photos to Off

How to Disable Photo GPS Geo-tag Feature on a BlackBerry

Open Camera Application
Click Location icon and set to Disabled

How to Disable Photo GPS Geo-tag Feature on a Palm

Click the “Launcher” icon
Click Location Services app
Set “Geotag Photos” switch to “Off”

*Note: Some phones have older interfaces, but these instructions should get you close enough to get the job done.

Want to help keep other kids safe?

THEN:

2012-02-28T19:16:20-08:00

About the Author: David Naves

With over 30 years in the Internet Industry, some of Dave's larger projects have included Ticketmaster.com, Guess.com, Citysearch.com and DisneyChannel.com, to name a few. He's passionate about getting Small Business America in to the "Big Game" of SEO and ecommerce, so he founded LocalMarketplace.com™ to do just that. Dave holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration, plays drums, is an avid fly fisherman, over-built his Automated Arduino Chicken Coop and enjoys using his general contractors license from time to time. His favorite web host is Acenet, and loves learning via Lynda.com. You can typically find him making noise out on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

5 Comments

Mary October 3, 2011 at 5:49 am - Reply

Typo: instead of “Diable” should be disable*.

There is an alternative to disabling geotagging. They (geotags) can be removed of post-processing, using 3rd party softwares such as EXIFCleaner by Superutils.
- Dave October 4, 2011 at 5:29 pm - Reply
  
  Thank you, Mary! (a perfect example of what can happen when one writes late at night with a serious lack of sleep. Still no excuse for not using a spell checker) ;)
  
  Really appreciate additional info for our more advanced/adventurous users. I took a look at https://www.superutils.com/ and it seems like some quality software there. I’ll have to check it out IRL.
  
  Thanks again for taking the time!
  
  //D
What is Google+? December 20, 2011 at 6:38 pm - Reply

[…] so you don’t even need to think about it. Just remembered, keep your loved ones safe by turning off the geo-tag feature in your smartphone. (protect your […]
Amanda August 13, 2013 at 6:40 pm - Reply

Hey, just wanted to let iPhone 5 users know it’s Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Camera. Took me a minute to find it – and thnx for the article!
- Dave Naves August 13, 2013 at 7:47 pm - Reply
  
  Thanks very much, Amanda! Really appreciate you taking the time to post the latest greatest!
  
  iPhone 5 users take note!
  
  Cheers!