Posting photos without identifying information

[jjc175]

A FOAF recently sent me some pictures of her grow. She'd like me to help her post her pics online. However, she's worried that posting a raw image file straight from a digital camera contains a whole lot of information that links it to its source (the camera). She has heard that the U.S. government mandated that camera and photocopier makers implant technology in their devices to link every photo & copy to a particular unit from the production line. My FOAF, in her research against online scam artists figured this out. (check out www.thescambaiter.com for some really funny scam reversals - i.e. scam artist pays ridiculous cash for shipping of a worthless dishwasher he thought was 40 laptops that he bought with a fake check).

My FOAF is interested in processing the image file so that this data is stripped off. Is anyone familiar with this? Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

[Ras Asad]

metadata~ I dont think your friend has anything to worry about.. but just in case..

JPEG’s metadata feature.~~~

Metadata What?

The most common definition for metadata is: data that describes data. This typically means adding text information to a text document, image, or any file. Metadata can be very powerful and is extremely flexible. The JPEG image file format can contain metadata, and can be used maliciously. Wedding couples that decide to share their wedding photos online should consider removing the metadata from their images.
Metadata can be added by a user, software, or a digital camera. The information embedded into a JPEG image can contain:

• Copyright Information
• Complete original image thumbnail
• Image manipulation software used: (Photoshop, Paintshop, Corel Draw)
• Text comments
• GPS location (Global Positioning Satellite)
• Serial numbers
• Text descriptions
• Camera make and model
• Date and time
• Camera software version
• Exposure and ISO mode

These are just samples of metadata that can be found in a typical digital wedding photo. Metadata in general, has many benefits when properly used. JPEGs that contain metadata can help both wedding couples and photographers to identity photo descriptions and properties such as digital camera settings, lighting information, geographical location, and previews.

Scenarios: How JPEG Metadata Exposes Our Privacy

Despite the general benefits of metadata, metadata could be unintentionally added without user knowledge by wedding photographers, online photo services, consumer image processing software, and popular screen saver / photo gallery slide show software. If a bride decides to share her wedding photos without removing the metadata, she could be unintentionally sharing her private information with the world. The following is a list of how JPEG metadata are created, often without users' knowledge:

• Popular photo preview and album programs
• Consumer photo slide show screen savers
• Online JPEG image description feature
• Online photo sharing services image commenting features
• Search engine image search identifier
• Professional photo editing programs used by wedding photographers
• Professional batch image processing applications
• Digital photograph archive utilities

Metadata is often manipulated by hackers, spam initiators, and non-FCC compliant online marketing agencies to expose the consumers' private identity, in order to gain profit by selling the consumers' private information to potential advertisers.
It is also possible for the metadata to contain a copy of the original digital picture; the pre-edited version. Someone savvy with inspecting the inner contents of such photograph would be able to extract that image.

from here~ http://www.weddingphotographydirecto...acy-alert.aspx

some other links, you can learn how to remove the metadata from these links..
http://netzreport.googlepages.com/hi...peg_files.html
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2286635,00.asp
http://3d2f.com/tags/remove/metadata/jpg/

good luck.
Blessings

[Beast]

Even if your digital camera does all that, it seems the only thing you'd have to worry about is:

• GPS location (Global Positioning Satellite)
• Serial numbers

But...

Since when do digital cameras record geographic location data? Maybe a professional cameraman who has all his digicams networked on the wifi with the gps plugged in.

C'mon. Don't let paranoia get the better of you.

Once a picture is uploaded, there's even more levels of separation between you and it.

Serial number might seem like a problem, but really there's no way to prove who took the picture, unless there's a mirror in the photo showing the camera and camera operator.

Who cares what model and brand of camera or software you are using? Its not unique enough to identify you. And neither are any of those other 'details' on that list.

Hackers schmackers.

[Ras Asad]

yeah thats what Im sayin, Beast.

dont even worry about it mang

[jjc175]

Thanks for the info guys.