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Geo-Tagging, The stalkers best friend

Lotso

Lotso

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 21, 2010
341
0
OC, California
Most smart phones today, tag your gps location within the meta data of a picture that you take. Recently ABC News wrote a story of how easy it is to look at the meta data on a picture that you upload online and find the exact place where that picture was taken.

My mom watched this story and it sent her into a panic that led to her demanding I turn it off on her iPhone. So I did. However I still keep mine on. I've always thought that if someone on the Internet really wanted to find you, they can and will. This is just another way they can. That being said however, I still have my Twitter set to locked and my Facebook as well.

What do you think? Does this kind of thing worry you? If anything ABC just made it more of a problem because more people know how to do it now.

Linky- http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7621105
 
I don't care so much about location data in my photos. However, one must be careful about using apps like Foursquare and Facebook Places. Unless you absolutely know everyone on your friend's list is truly your "friend", then there could be someone on there watching to see when you are away from your residence. I try to minimize this risk by 1) only befriending people on Facebook/Foursquare that I know are friends in real life, and 2) checking in when I'm getting ready to head home. In fact, #1 is a good idea anyway! I'd rather have fewer friends on Facebook than hundreds that some people have. A more personal experience with fewer friends is much more valuable to me than a distant casual experience with hundreds of friends just for the sake of having a large number!
 
Travisimo said:
I don't care so much about location data in my photos. However, one must be careful about using apps like Foursquare and Facebook Places. Unless you absolutely know everyone on your friend's list is truly your "friend", then there could be someone on there watching to see when you are away from your residence. I try to minimize this risk by 1) only befriending people on Facebook/Foursquare that I know are friends in real life, and 2) checking in when I'm getting ready to head home. In fact, #1 is a good idea anyway! I'd rather have fewer friends on Facebook than hundreds that some people have. A more personal experience with fewer friends is much more valuable to me than a distant casual experience with hundreds of friends just for the sake of having a large number!
Click to expand...

This is assuming that you're the only person that lives at your residence, and as you said that you share this data with anyone who could identify you. I use foursquare, but it posts to Facebook, whom I'm picky about befriending people on, and foursquare and twitter accounts that only use my first name and last initial. Additionally, I live with other people. Just because I'm not home doesn't mean that no one is.
 
I know I'm in the minority when I say this: I don't have a FaceBook, Twitter, MySpace or any other social network account! :D

It's not cuz I'm an Old Geezer (or maybe I am -- and I'm stalking you right now!) it's just I'd rather not see posts such as "I'm going to the bathroom right now" or "Help me choose what to eat for breakfast".

So to answer your question...nope, this doesn't concern me.
 
Travisimo said:
I don't care so much about location data in my photos. However, one must be careful about using apps like Foursquare and Facebook Places. Unless you absolutely know everyone on your friend's list is truly your "friend", then there could be someone on there watching to see when you are away from your residence. I try to minimize this risk by 1) only befriending people on Facebook/Foursquare that I know are friends in real life, and 2) checking in when I'm getting ready to head home. In fact, #1 is a good idea anyway! I'd rather have fewer friends on Facebook than hundreds that some people have. A more personal experience with fewer friends is much more valuable to me than a distant casual experience with hundreds of friends just for the sake of having a large number!
Click to expand...

I never understood the whole "checking in" thing anyway. I don't care when someone has arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings, or when someone is going to the gym. It's lame.
 
DDustiNN said:
I never understood the whole "checking in" thing anyway. I don't care when someone has arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings, or when someone is going to the gym. It's lame.
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A bunch of my friends "check in" everywhere to try and become "the mayor" of that place. I also think it's lame.
 
DDustiNN said:
I never understood the whole "checking in" thing anyway. I don't care when someone has arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings, or when someone is going to the gym. It's lame.
Click to expand...

I never use this feature, but last night one of my Facebook friends posted a "check in", at the Sedgwick County Jail. You can imagine the comments and of course I had to "like" it. :p He lives about 2 blocks from there and I'm sure he meant to chick in "at home" but I think there was a slight glitch!:eek:
 
DDustiNN said:
I never understood the whole "checking in" thing anyway. I don't care when someone has arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings, or when someone is going to the gym. It's lame.
Click to expand...

stev3n said:
A bunch of my friends "check in" everywhere to try and become "the mayor" of that place. I also think it's lame.
Click to expand...

I'm "mayor" of the Dunkin Donuts near me. The general manager of this area monitors 4sq and has given me a free travel mug, free coffee refills, and free dozens of donuts! Totally worth it!

The Tumbleweed Restaurant near me offers a free dessert every time you check in. Simply show your phone to the server to redeem.
 
I only check into restaurants, or my campus so if people want to come work, they know where to find me. Usually more productive when everyones working.
 
Heb1228 said:
That's pretty sweet. I'd love to know what restaurants around me do something like that!
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Some of the places show a "special deal" icon in the Foursquare app.

As far as the Dunkin Donuts deals I got, the general manager sent me a friend request & message on Twitter.
 
Nah I don't worry about stalkers.. if I met a stalker I would introduce them to Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson. ;)
 
stev3n said:
A bunch of my friends "check in" everywhere to try and become "the mayor" of that place. I also think it's lame.
Click to expand...

Well, your friends probably don't think it's lame. I like to do it for the following reasons:

1) It's a game. Several of my friends and I check in around town and fight over mayorships. You earn badges and achievements, similarly to Achievements on Xbox Live or PSN. I'm sure some people think those achievements are lame also, but I'm not knocking it if they enjoy it! :D

2) It often stimulates conversion with my Facebook friends. When I check in, I do more than just check state my location. I'll often take a photo or post an interesting comment about the place I'm visiting. This will often lead to comments and conversation with my friends. Many times, it helps me and my friends discover places we might not ordinarily know about. On Foursquare, you can also leave Tips about the places you check in to. I've learned about deals and things to look out for, for example.

So it's certainly not for everyone, but to each his/her own, right?
 
I use check-in apps to keep track where I've been (coupled with Momento it makes for a good lazy-man's journal when I want to look something up). Foursquare has also helped every now and then on wanting to try a new restaurant or something new at a place I visit (via tips). As for geotagging photos, I keep that off on my Camera app because while I use services like Foursquare and Facebook, it doesn't mean I'm always keeping myself on the grid.
 
Eric374 said:
I never use this feature, but last night one of my Facebook friends posted a "check in", at the Sedgwick County Jail. You can imagine the comments and of course I had to "like" it. :p He lives about 2 blocks from there and I'm sure he meant to chick in "at home" but I think there was a slight glitch!:eek:
Click to expand...

Good to see another Machead in Wichita! I was scrolling, scrolling, scrolling.. "Whoa! Did he just say Sedgwick County?" It totally took my by surprise. I had to double check that I was on MacRumors.
 
I used Foursquare for about a week, it got old pretty quick. However I found a location near me named something like Lola's Whorehouse or something to that effect.. :)
 
I don't have a problem sharing my location, which is why I'm on Google Latitude.

Geotagging photos is great for remembering where you were on a map in iPhoto. Anyway, how is geotagging any more dangerous than saying "I'm at XYZ bar now" to a few friends over Twitter, SMS, or in a phone call?
 
JRoDDz said:
I used Foursquare for about a week, it got old pretty quick. However I found a location near me named something like Lola's Whorehouse or something to that effect.. :)
Click to expand...


I like stories with happy endings.
 
I try not to use things that show my current location all that much.

But if someone downloads a photo off Facebook and finds out that once, in the past, I was at the movie theater... well...ok. I really can't imagine how that's gonna come back to hurt me in any way.

I think your mom's overreacting.
 
How did he just like right click and do that? Can someone explain that to me?

And how do I stop it from happening? I don't care as much but it is a good thing to know
 
Dr Kevorkian94 said:
How did he just like right click and do that? Can someone explain that to me?

And how do I stop it from happening? I don't care as much but it is a good thing to know
Click to expand...

Usually it's as easy as right-clicking on a picture and selecting "view image info", or something similar. (that's what it says in Firefox, anyway)
 
benhollberg said:
I couldn't figure it out on Safari, anyone know how?
Click to expand...
There's a view EXIF data extension for Safari.

Regarding the original post, I think the danger is there, and I don't know how extensive. I don't know if a potential stalker would really need that data, or if it just helps them. I've had a couple of scary experiences (guy came down across two states and was waiting in my house, another one where I was receiving mail from someone I only knew from the internet). Neither of these needed any geotagging (that I know). I don't know what's needed to prevent things like this, except maybe stop using the internet.
 
I try to remember to stip metadata before posting pictures I took on my iPhone to forums. On Facebook, which doesn't accept such metadata anyways, I don't worry because I know everyone in real life. I don't do Facebook Places or Foursquare.
 
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