New Cameras, camera phones & Geotagging = I know where you grow!

[endive]

I'm sure this is common sense among most of you here, for me it took a little jarring... It seems so obvious now, I'm sure it's been discussed before, but if not...

Be aware of the "Geotagging" settings on your camera before submitting pictures anywhere! Geotagging, is when geographical identification metadata is added to an image or video when it's created. The metadata is not visible in the picture itself but can be read and written by applications and most digital cameras. More on it here »

Essentially it logs the precise location on the planet the picture was taken.

I acquired a few images from other growers in the area. Of 5, there were 3, I was able to, pinpoint the house, yard, and field they were taken in.

Photos uploaded here on the 420 forum seem to have their data stripped when they are processed, but still, be aware! The location data in images I had posted directly off my camera to a blog elsewhere, showed the street in front of the building I'm in, and in my book, even 50 feet is too close!

 

[Captain Kronic]

So is there a way to disable the Geotagging setting? My security is high and tight but, it can always be better... thanks for the brain food!

 

[endive]

The biggest issue it seems, is cameras on smart-phones.
Disabling on iPhone, droid, BBerry:
I Can Stalk U - Raising awareness about inadvertent information sharing

Digital cameras with built in GPS are also suspect (it should be obvious it has a built in GPS function), but you'll have to refer to the manufacturer's guide.

Oddly in Oregon, it seems every stoplight intersection now have cameras mounted, facing every which way, seeming more angled to capture occupant shots than anything. They are not for ticketing anyone, I was told it was to monitor and ease traffic... We have no traffic in our town.

They knew we were on to them, so they just delayed 1984 a few decades. When they brought it back, they labeled it "surveillance for security" all the while, we cheered and flag waved away our freedom.