Geotagging can be a wonderful feature on the
internet because it allows people to know where
you took a picture of a sunset, a famous event,
or even allows you to locate your own past
memories in a few clicks. Such information can
make it easier for you to arrange photos, let
friends know where they can have a similar
experience and share with the world the types of
things you like doing and where.
On the darker side, however, there is a risk of "social surveillance
by GPS" with geotagging. People intent on stalking you can make use of
public geotagging information to pinpoint your location, home, and
even your activities with very little effort. What that can mean in
terms of your safety and security will depend on who you are, where
you live, and the value to anyone watching your movements but it does
pay to be careful. Avoiding the risks of geotagging is one more
important thing to keep in mind in this day and age of diminishing
privacy, and here are some suggestions to help.
!! Steps !!
Be aware of the ability for your images to be
geotagged. Geotagging is the process of adding
geographical identification to photographs,
video, websites and SMS messages. It is the
equivalent of adding a 10-digit grid coordinate
to everything you post on the internet.[1] Many
people are unaware of geotagging possibilities
held in the gadgets they own, while for others,
they know but forget to disable them. Images
from many digital cameras and cell phones
capture not only the picture but all the related
information ranging from make of the camera to
location and latitude where the image was taken.
While not all cameras capture the geotagging information, a lot of
cameras do, such as the Canon brand; and such cameras will include the
metadata (shutter speeds, flash, and other settings) embedded into the
individual photo. In GPS devices like iPhones and other smartphones,
additional information is automatically captured, such as longitude
and latitude of where the image was taken.[2] Using particular tools
and programs, a person determined to find out this type of information
can decipher any geotagged image and retrieve the information for
their own purposes.
* Geotagging websites such as Foursquare, Gowalla, and Facebook's
Places are also able to pinpoint your location when you check into
public places such as cafes, restaurants, and theaters.[3]
* Photo sites such as Flickr and Picasa can provide geotagging
information but this is not an automatic function.
Understand the risks involved. Geotagging
information could potentially give someone
intent on scaring you (such as a stalker) or a
potential house thief the opportunity to know
your exact whereabouts, particularly where
you've cross-posted your check-ins on places
such as Twitter and any other sites. For
example, say you take a photo of your favorite
garden rose, posted it online and left a
message on Twitter about the photo: "Just took
this rose in my garden before I left the house
5 mins ago". In doing this, you've just
signaled to anyone watching your account that
you've left your house and if they wanted to
find the address via geotagging and you haven't
removed that information, it can be found.
* Another problem with geotagging is that it has the potential to
"establish patterns" of your movements.[4] If you post photos or
use geotracking sites on a regular basis, it is possible for
someone to work out where you end up at particular times during
the day. This might allow a person to determine where you work and
live, simply by watching your daily patterns.
Know when to use the geotagging feature and when
not to. There will be occasions when it's
clearly not appropriate to use geotagging on
images, especially where the information you're
sharing is about a private residence, such as
the location of your home or another person's
private residence:
* Private locations such as residences, schools, a beach house, or a
hotel room are private and it's never wise to broadcast the
address by geotagging.
* Never geotag photos containing children.
* Public settings such as a beach, an amusement park, a camping trip
in the mountains, and so forth, might be fine for geotagging and
can be a great way to keep tabs on the dates and locations of
vacations and fun days. All the same, if this information has the
ability to reveal something personal about yourself that should
not be made public, think twice.
* House or college dorm parties might be the highlight of your
weekend but it's important to be cautious when posting pictures of
the event to the internet.
Know how to disable your cell phone's or
camera's geotagging feature. Every smartphone
has the geotagging feature automatically set to
operate, so you need to put in the effort to
prevent it from doing this. It's recommended
that you disable the geotagging ability and
enable it again when you make a conscious
decision to use it; it's far better to opt in
than to try to remember to opt out.[5]
* If using an iPhone, disable it through the "Settings" page of the
geotagging program. Tap "Settings", then "General" and then
"Location Services". Disable the applications that use GPS data.
For older iPhones, tap "Reset Location Warnings" under "Reset" to
cause the phone to prompt you about using geolocations when using
the relevant applications. If you have a hard time remembering to
disable the geolocating features of your iPhone, consider leaving
it off permanently.
* On a Blackberry, go to the camera icon. Press the "Menu" button,
select "Options" and set the geotagging option to "Disabled".
Click "Save".
* On an Android, start the camera application. Open the menu to the
left and go to "Settings". Turn off "Geotagging" or "Location
storage" (the name depends on the version of Android you own).
* For your digital camera, read the user manual. Not all digital
cameras come with geotagging and the manual will explain whether
it does and how to shut off the GPS features.
If using geotagging websites, control with
great care the people who are able to see where
you're located. Each website differs in how it
confines your information to only those people
whom you want seeing it; always be sure to read
the instructions carefully and don't just rely
on the default setting which might be allowing
anyone to see your whereabouts (or the metadata
in your images, such as on photo sites).
* Be aware of the tags you're using. Many people include the name of
the city, town, or country with the photo in the tags, and there
are many location-specific tags too. Tagging photos with an exact
location on the internet allows random people to track any
individual's location and correlate it with other information.[6]
The tags are completely within your control, so think carefully
about the information you share.
* Always check a geotagging site's default settings and what needs
to be done to fix automatic geotagging defaults. Facebook Places
is active until disabled - read How to disable Facebook Places for
the instructions.
Be aware where you post your pictures and what
geotagged information you leave. Security and
safety come first. If you're uncomfortable with
the idea of geotagging pictures on the internet,
either upload them to a website that has
different security settings that can be easily
managed to protect your privacy, like Facebook,
or use another image capturing device that lacks
a GPS enabled feature.
* If you want to wipe geotagging information from your photos, look
for free EXIF editors online. These will help you to wipe that
information from the photos.
* Don't check in to geotagging sites from home and don't include
your GPS coordinates in your Twitter updates.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Think before you upload geotagging information online. Is it
useful, is it safe, and is it necessary, or are you just following
the crowd and not thinking about the consequences?
* Teach your children and other young users about the risks involved
in geotagging.
!! Warnings !!
* In 2009, Wired Magazine published an individual's experiment on a
woman taking photos in a park. The experimenter didn't know who
this woman was. Noting the model of her 3G iPhone, the
experimenter was able to go back home and locate the woman's
photos on Flickr and learned where she took most of her photos, as
well as seeing inside her apartment. The experimenter ended with
the comment "Now I know where she lives."[7] This is another
reason to be extremely careful of geotagging.
* If you're a soldier using social media geotagging, the potential
for exposing your location can be deadly.[8]
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Owner's manual for phones and cameras
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Correct the Time Stamp on Digital Pictures
* How to Transfer Digital Photos from Your Digital Camera to Your
Computer
* How to Organize Your Digital Photos
* How to Use Slow Shutter Speeds for Image Effects
* How to Geotag Pictures
!! Sources And Citations !!
* Hawaii News Now, Experts Warn of Geotagging Risks,
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13516135; posted
November 16, 2010 – research source
* Net Security, Geotagging risks and solutions,
http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=9734; posted on August
13, 2010 – research source
* United States Army, Geotags and Location Based Social Networking,
http://www.nv.ngb.army.mil/Army%20Geotagging%20Safety.pdf –
research source
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
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