HOW2 REMOVE GEOTAGS ?

I am not a computer expert. I have photos of relatives,
kids, friends which I want to circulate by email but I'm
afraid of pedophiles, stalkers etc. locating the people from
geotags embedded in the photos.
I need a simple scanning program which will tell me if
there ARE any tags present, and able to REMOVE them before I
email the photos to anyone or post them on the Internet.

This must be a common concern and people must be using
some SIMPLE program to clean the phtos up befoere emailing
them to friends.

Can you please suggest a SIMPLE program to do this,
preferably freeware or lowcost.

Thanks in advance, Jerry

On 2011-09-12 19:49:45 -0700, Jerry said:

I am not a computer expert. I have photos of relatives,
kids, friends which I want to circulate by email but I'm
afraid of pedophiles, stalkers etc. locating the people from
geotags embedded in the photos.
I need a simple scanning program which will tell me if
there ARE any tags present, and able to REMOVE them before I
email the photos to anyone or post them on the Internet.

This must be a common concern and people must be using
some SIMPLE program to clean the phtos up befoere emailing
them to friends.

Can you please suggest a SIMPLE program to do this,
preferably freeware or lowcost.

Thanks in advance, Jerry

Are you in anyway responsible for adding GPS, or geotag data to any of
these images?

If so, then I ask the following:
First, what camera are you using and how are you imbedding GPS, or
geotagging data.

Secondly, what photo-editing software are you currently using?

Then just how many of the folks you are planning to circulate these
images to, are pedophiles stalkers, etc.?
....or do you not trust your friends & family, or the source of the images?

There is EXIF editing software available and other image editing
software such as Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop CS5.
With that software you have the option of striping all or some EXIF
data from image files you choose to to distribute.

I make the assumption that you are using a Windows machine.
Here are some other options for you, otherwise Google is your friend.
http://www.photome.de/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multime...IFeditor.shtml

http://www.photo-freeware.net/quick-exif-editor.php
http://www.colorpilot.com/exif.html
and
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:29:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2011-09-12 19:49:45 -0700, Jerry said:

I am not a computer expert. I have photos of relatives,
kids, friends which I want to circulate by email but I'm
afraid of pedophiles, stalkers etc. locating the people from
geotags embedded in the photos.
I need a simple scanning program which will tell me if
there ARE any tags present, and able to REMOVE them before I
email the photos to anyone or post them on the Internet.

This must be a common concern and people must be using
some SIMPLE program to clean the phtos up befoere emailing
them to friends.

Can you please suggest a SIMPLE program to do this,
preferably freeware or lowcost.

Thanks in advance, Jerry



Are you in anyway responsible for adding GPS, or geotag data to any of
these images?

[Jerry}
Generally no. I don't even own a digital camera. But close
friends send me photos which I send to ohers and no telling
where they'll wind up. For instance an ex wife sends me
photos of her kids taken at her new house in Phoenix and I
send them to another old friend who knew us 30 years ago.


If so, then I ask the following:
First, what camera are you using and how are you imbedding GPS, or
geotagging data.

[Jerry]
I'm not taking any photos, but I have friends who are not
even aware of the problem and I don't want to be responsible
for exposing them to risk by forwarding the photos to other
friends.


Secondly, what photo-editing software are you currently using?

[Jerry]
None... never edited any photos.. don't want to. Just want
to make the photos safe before I forward them to someone.


Then just how many of the folks you are planning to circulate these
images to, are pedophiles stalkers, etc.?


[Jerry]
Get real.... the average neighborhood today has half a
dozen registered sex offenders... you have no idea where a
photo is going to wind up once you email it to someone...
much less post it on facebook or something.


...or do you not trust your friends & family, or the source of the images?


[Jerry]
Get real.... this problem has been all over the news
lately with pedofiles, burglars, stalkers and home invaders
scanning photos on Facebook and elsewhere and locating the
houses on Google Earth and then attacking random people. For
cripes sake don't you watch television?


There is EXIF editing software available and other image editing
software such as Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop CS5.
With that software you have the option of striping all or some EXIF
data from image files you choose to to distribute.


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!



I make the assumption that you are using a Windows machine.
Here are some other options for you, otherwise Google is your friend.
http://www.photome.de/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multime...IFeditor.shtml

http://www.photo-freeware.net/quick-exif-editor.php
http://www.colorpilot.com/exif.html
and
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

On 13/09/2011, Jerry wrote:
On Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:29:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2011-09-12 19:49:45 -0700, Jerry said:

I am not a computer expert. I have photos of relatives,
kids, friends which I want to circulate by email but I'm
afraid of pedophiles, stalkers etc. locating the people from
geotags embedded in the photos.
I need a simple scanning program which will tell me if
there ARE any tags present, and able to REMOVE them before I
email the photos to anyone or post them on the Internet.

This must be a common concern and people must be using
some SIMPLE program to clean the phtos up befoere emailing
them to friends.

Can you please suggest a SIMPLE program to do this,
preferably freeware or lowcost.

Thanks in advance, Jerry



Are you in anyway responsible for adding GPS, or geotag data to any of
these images?

[Jerry}
Generally no. I don't even own a digital camera. But close
friends send me photos which I send to ohers and no telling
where they'll wind up. For instance an ex wife sends me
photos of her kids taken at her new house in Phoenix and I
send them to another old friend who knew us 30 years ago.


If so, then I ask the following:
First, what camera are you using and how are you imbedding GPS, or
geotagging data.

[Jerry]
I'm not taking any photos, but I have friends who are not
even aware of the problem and I don't want to be responsible
for exposing them to risk by forwarding the photos to other
friends.


Secondly, what photo-editing software are you currently using?

[Jerry]
None... never edited any photos.. don't want to. Just want
to make the photos safe before I forward them to someone.


Then just how many of the folks you are planning to circulate these
images to, are pedophiles stalkers, etc.?


[Jerry]
Get real.... the average neighborhood today has half a
dozen registered sex offenders... you have no idea where a
photo is going to wind up once you email it to someone...
much less post it on facebook or something.


...or do you not trust your friends & family, or the source of the images?


[Jerry]
Get real.... this problem has been all over the news
lately with pedofiles, burglars, stalkers and home invaders
scanning photos on Facebook and elsewhere and locating the
houses on Google Earth and then attacking random people. For
cripes sake don't you watch television?


There is EXIF editing software available and other image editing
software such as Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop CS5.
With that software you have the option of striping all or some EXIF
data from image files you choose to to distribute.


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!



I make the assumption that you are using a Windows machine.
Here are some other options for you, otherwise Google is your friend.
http://www.photome.de/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multime...IFeditor.shtml

http://www.photo-freeware.net/quick-exif-editor.php
http://www.colorpilot.com/exif.html
and
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

Then your best bet is to use Irfanview (it's free).
http://www.irfanview.com/
Open a file in Irfanview, select save as, set the type to JPG and
uncheck all of the checkboxes in the small panel of options that opens.

--
N

On 2011-09-13 00:53:42 -0700, Jerry said:

On Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:29:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2011-09-12 19:49:45 -0700, Jerry said:

I am not a computer expert. I have photos of relatives,
kids, friends which I want to circulate by email but I'm
afraid of pedophiles, stalkers etc. locating the people from
geotags embedded in the photos.
I need a simple scanning program which will tell me if
there ARE any tags present, and able to REMOVE them before I
email the photos to anyone or post them on the Internet.

This must be a common concern and people must be using
some SIMPLE program to clean the phtos up befoere emailing
them to friends.

Can you please suggest a SIMPLE program to do this,
preferably freeware or lowcost.

Thanks in advance, Jerry



Are you in anyway responsible for adding GPS, or geotag data to any of
these images?

[Jerry}
Generally no. I don't even own a digital camera. But close
friends send me photos which I send to ohers and no telling
where they'll wind up. For instance an ex wife sends me
photos of her kids taken at her new house in Phoenix and I
send them to another old friend who knew us 30 years ago.


If so, then I ask the following:
First, what camera are you using and how are you imbedding GPS, or
geotagging data.

[Jerry]
I'm not taking any photos, but I have friends who are not
even aware of the problem and I don't want to be responsible
for exposing them to risk by forwarding the photos to other
friends.

No you are sounding irrationally paranoid. I believe your fears are unfounded.



Secondly, what photo-editing software are you currently using?

[Jerry]
None... never edited any photos.. don't want to. Just want
to make the photos safe before I forward them to someone.

In that case go ahead and forward them, I gather you feel as safe about
those you would forward to, as the folks who forwarded them to you,
felt about you.



Then just how many of the folks you are planning to circulate these
images to, are pedophiles stalkers, etc.?


[Jerry]
Get real.... the average neighborhood today has half a
dozen registered sex offenders... you have no idea where a
photo is going to wind up once you email it to someone...
much less post it on facebook or something.

I am about the most "real" individual you are going to find in this
newsgroup in this regard, given that I am retired Law enforcement.
Where exactly are you getting your figure of "half a dozen registered
sex offenders" in the average neighborhood?

There are some areas where you will find clusters of these individuals,
but for the most part registered sex offenders are not prowling the
streets of America in a search for victims, using e-mailed imaged which
might or might not be geotagged.

....and if you are concerned that somebody you are forwarding these
images to might be a registered sex offender, just check.
http://www.nsopw.gov/Core/Portal.asp...ookieSupport=1




...or do you not trust your friends & family, or the source of the images?


[Jerry]
Get real.... this problem has been all over the news
lately with pedofiles, burglars, stalkers and home invaders
scanning photos on Facebook and elsewhere and locating the
houses on Google Earth and then attacking random people. For
cripes sake don't you watch television?

Actually I believe it is you who should "get real". Exactly which news
service is broadcasting all this fear mongering with regard to all
those criminals attacking "random people"?

....and I do watch television and I have yet to see a report of any
attack which has resulted from e-mailing an image with GPS, or geotag
data embedded.



There is EXIF editing software available and other image editing
software such as Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop CS5.
With that software you have the option of striping all or some EXIF
data from image files you choose to to distribute.


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!

OK!
I add GPS data to the majority of my images. Here is a link to one of
my photographs which has GPS data encoded, and if you can read that
data, it will show you exactly where I was standing when I took that
shot. It is an interesting tool which should not frighten you.
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/DNC_9246fw.jpg

It is only complicated if you have no idea of what all of this stuff is
about, so I guess for you it is complicated.

In which country has this become a national problem and which media has
been giving it a lot of attention?

Complicated stuff snipped


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:21:50 +1000, N wrote:


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!


Then your best bet is to use Irfanview (it's free).
http://www.irfanview.com/
Open a file in Irfanview, select save as, set the type to JPG and
uncheck all of the checkboxes in the small panel of options that opens.


[Jerry]
OK, I downloaded it and that's simple enough to use. But
before I clean a photo I would like to know if there was any
GPS data in there to begin with so I can warn the person who
sent it to me. Can Irfanview tell me that too ?

On 13/09/2011, Jerry wrote:
On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:21:50 +1000, N wrote:


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!


Then your best bet is to use Irfanview (it's free).
http://www.irfanview.com/
Open a file in Irfanview, select save as, set the type to JPG and
uncheck all of the checkboxes in the small panel of options that opens.


[Jerry]
OK, I downloaded it and that's simple enough to use. But
before I clean a photo I would like to know if there was any
GPS data in there to begin with so I can warn the person who
sent it to me. Can Irfanview tell me that too ?

Yes it can. With the original file open, select Image - Information
and click on the EXIF button. If the EXIF button isn't visible (just
above the IPTC Info button) then there is no EXIF info in the file and
thus no GPS info.

Here's one I prepared earlier containing GPS information in the EXIF.
If your file doesn't have GPS then the data shown below in the second
group won't be there.

Make - NIKON CORPORATION
Model - NIKON D300
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72.00
YResolution - 72.00
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
DateTime - 2011:09:12 18:47:06
Artist -
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ReferenceBlackWhite - 0
Copyright -
ExifOffset - 416
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 4
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 400
ExifVersion - 0220
DateTimeOriginal - 2011:09:12 10:27:54
DateTimeDigitized - 2011:09:12 10:27:54
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.83
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 35 mm
UserComment -
SubsecTime -
SubsecTimeOriginal -
SubsecTimeDigitized -
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 969
ExifImageHeight - 1374
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Manual
DigitalZoomRatio - 1 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 52 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.2.0.0
GPSLatitudeRef - S
GPSLatitude - 33 32 21.12
GPSLongitudeRef - E
GPSLongitude - 150 25 24.09
GPSAltitudeRef - Sea level reference
GPSAltitude - 1002.76 m

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 1270
JpegIFByteCount - 9659

--
N

Do consider that the op of this thread might be a offender itself trying
to cover its tracks.

--- Posted via news://freenews.netfront.net/ - Complaints to ---

On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:09:07 +1000, N wrote:

On 13/09/2011, Jerry wrote:
On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:21:50 +1000, N wrote:


[jerry]
Yeah bui this stuff looks complicated as hell.... isn't
there a simple WIPEOUT PROGRAM that will simply scan a JPEG
photo and wipe all the info off of it? This has become a
national problem receiving a lot of media attention....
there must be some simple turnkey program that will protect
people from this kind of thing without forcing them to
become computer PhD's !!


Then your best bet is to use Irfanview (it's free).
http://www.irfanview.com/
Open a file in Irfanview, select save as, set the type to JPG and
uncheck all of the checkboxes in the small panel of options that opens.


[Jerry]
OK, I downloaded it and that's simple enough to use. But
before I clean a photo I would like to know if there was any
GPS data in there to begin with so I can warn the person who
sent it to me. Can Irfanview tell me that too ?

Yes it can. With the original file open, select Image - Information
and click on the EXIF button. If the EXIF button isn't visible (just
above the IPTC Info button) then there is no EXIF info in the file and
thus no GPS info.

Here's one I prepared earlier containing GPS information in the EXIF.
If your file doesn't have GPS then the data shown below in the second
group won't be there.

Make - NIKON CORPORATION
Model - NIKON D300
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72.00
YResolution - 72.00
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
DateTime - 2011:09:12 18:47:06
Artist -
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ReferenceBlackWhite - 0
Copyright -
ExifOffset - 416
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 4
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 400
ExifVersion - 0220
DateTimeOriginal - 2011:09:12 10:27:54
DateTimeDigitized - 2011:09:12 10:27:54
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.83
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 35 mm
UserComment -
SubsecTime -
SubsecTimeOriginal -
SubsecTimeDigitized -
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 969
ExifImageHeight - 1374
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Manual
DigitalZoomRatio - 1 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 52 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.2.0.0
GPSLatitudeRef - S
GPSLatitude - 33 32 21.12
GPSLongitudeRef - E
GPSLongitude - 150 25 24.09
GPSAltitudeRef - Sea level reference
GPSAltitude - 1002.76 m

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 1270
JpegIFByteCount - 9659



[Jerry]
Geez... that's pretty scary... if someone takes a picture
in their house it gives away the exact location of where
they live. Cripes... what a setup for burglers!!
OK... I found the EXIF button and it's lit up meaning
there is data in there. When I hit the button however I get
a DLL error message

Can't load plugin: METADATA.DLL
Please install or update PlugIns from Irfanview homepage

I'll be a while straightening that out, but no problem I've
been through DLL problems before and in the meanwhile I have
a tool to clear all the EXIF data in any case.
Thanks a lot N, you've been a real help.
Jerry

On 13/09/2011, Jerry wrote:
[Jerry]
Geez... that's pretty scary... if someone takes a picture
in their house it gives away the exact location of where
they live. Cripes... what a setup for burglers!!
OK... I found the EXIF button and it's lit up meaning
there is data in there. When I hit the button however I get
a DLL error message

Can't load plugin: METADATA.DLL
Please install or update PlugIns from Irfanview homepage

I'll be a while straightening that out, but no problem I've
been through DLL problems before and in the meanwhile I have
a tool to clear all the EXIF data in any case.
Thanks a lot N, you've been a real help.
Jerry

Download the plug-in pack for Irfanview from the same site.

I added the GPS data to my photos taken this weekend. My camera
doesn't do it, although a GPS unit can be added to my camera (for more
money than I care to outlay). Most don't. However, lots of phone
cameras do. As far as I know, it's an option that can be turned on or
off.

I use a GPS track logger and then Nikon ViewNX to match the locations
by time to the GPS log.

--
N