Photos You Post Online Can Give Away Your Location

Every time you post a photo online from your smartphone, you’re potentially identifying exactly where you were when you shot the picture. Digital images are encoded with geotags that record the coordinates, which can be easily uncovered by anyone with the software and know-how.

Fox News speaks to a security expert behind the ominously named site icanstalku, which uncodes images at random to give Twitter shutterbugs a reality check.

Says the expert to Fox:

“Unfortunately, when people are instantly publishing these photos online it can then provide breadcrumbs to where they were and where they might hang out. It’s easy enough that I can probably teach a grade schooler to do it.”

What types of photos do you usually post online from your phone? If you weren’t aware of geotags before, will the knowledge cause you to operate differently?

Digital Photos Hide Data — and Cyberstalkers Can Find It, Expert Warns [Fox News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.