Selfies have become a ubiquitous part of modern life, and many people enjoy sharing them on social media platforms. However, what most people don’t realize is that selfies can reveal more than just your smiling face. They can also be used to track your location and potentially even stalk you. In this article, we’ll explore how selfies uploaded to social media can be used to track your location and offer solutions to protect your privacy.
Taking a selfie with your smartphone automatically embeds metadata into the photo called EXIF data. This data includes information such as the time and date the photo was taken, the model and make of the phone and even the exact location where the photo was taken. If you share this photo on social media platforms, this metadata is also shared along with it.
This means that anyone with access to your social media accounts can potentially see where you’ve taken your photos, and therefore where you are or have been. This can be a serious privacy concern, especially for those who may have stalkers or abusive ex-partners.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your privacy. One option is to simply not share photos that reveal your location. However, if you do want to share location-based images, you can strip the EXIF data from your photos before you upload them. There are several apps and software tools available that can do this for you, including EXIF Purge, Photo Exif Editor, and ExifEraser. The dumb way to do this is to take a screenshot of a photo and send that screenshot to erase the geolocation data.
Another option is to turn off location tracking on your phone altogether. This will prevent your phone from automatically embedding location data into your photos. To do this, go to your phone’s settings and look for the location services option. From there, you can turn off location tracking for your camera app.
It’s also a good idea to regularly review your social media privacy settings and limit who can see your posts and photos. This can help prevent stalkers and other potentially dangerous individuals from accessing your personal information.
In conclusion, while selfies are a fun way to share your experiences with friends and family, they can also reveal more than you may realize. By protecting your privacy, such as stripping EXIF data and turning off location tracking, you can continue to share your photos while keeping your location and personal information private.