The problem is that certain devices may embed extra bits of data that can betray your personal privacy and security.Ĭonsider a GPS-enabled, camera-equipped smartphone. On the whole, EXIF data is actually well-intentioned, innocent, and practical.
Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings.By extracting and looking at an image's EXIF data, you can see how that particular photograph was taken, which is a great way to study, learn, and improve your own photographic skills and knowledge. There's so much to learn that even a genius would need several decades to master it all.ĮXIF data is basically all of that technical information that gets stored in the photo file. Photography is complex and intensely technical with lots of things you need to know: exposure, lighting, composition, posing, etc. Here's everything you need to know about photo metadata and how to remove EXIF data when you don't want that information to go public. but in rare cases can be abused by malicious users and cause you problems.
That metadata is called EXIF data (Exchangeable Image File Format) and is mostly harmless. Did you know that most cameras embed hidden information (called metadata) into every photograph taken? And when you share those images-such as uploading them to social media-that hidden information can stay embedded in the photo? And that people can view that information for almost no effort?