# Photo EXIF data stripping



## loftygoals (Aug 30, 2016)

So I realised a few months back that RIU does not strip your EXIF data from uploaded images. This can be an issue if you upload an image off your phone and accidentally had GPS geotagging enabled. The GPS data can be used to locate your grow which might be an issue if you're not legal or could potentially lead to security issues if others know where your grow is located.

Personally, I have a regime of only using a GPS dumb camera and also manually stripping EXIF data before I upload it. One time I forgot to strip a picture and upon uploading it saw it had some EXIF data still present. This shocked me a little as I'd have expected EXIF stripping to already be implemented. There have been documented cases of law enforcement using GPS coordinates to start investigations (El Chapo was famously seen on a tweeted picture in Costa Rica, John McAfee was on teh run in Guatemala when a VICE journalist tweeted a pic with intact GPS data, here's another case involving boobs: http://gizmodo.com/5901430/these-breasts-nailed-anonymous-hacker-in-fbi-case)

Upon realising this I messaged @rollitup asking if they could look into auto-stripping images as I know a forum plugin for XenForo already exists. @rollitup told me @Admin would be the one to speak so I sent them a similar message but sadly I didn't hear anything back.

I put this at the back of my mind and just thought I should be vigilant when it came to uploading my own images.

Recently I installed the google chrome "EXIF Viewer" extension which lets me keep tabs on EXIF data in images by just doing a mouseover. I've seen a lot of members upload images with fully intact data. A couple of times I've noticed intact GPS data (if anyone's really interested I can PM a link to see images with intact GPS data on the RIU forum for yourself).

Can I ask again whether @Admin could look into implementing EXIF data stripping? If the $19 plugin fee is an issue I'd be happy to send you some bitcoin and pay for it myself.

Failing that I'd recommend all users double check their phones don't have GPS geotagging enabled and consider stripping their EXIF data manually before uploading to this site.


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## VTMi'kmaq (Aug 30, 2016)




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## sunni (Aug 30, 2016)

we have a tutorial on how to remove it, doubt owner will add the addon sorry
PM is how to get ahold of him if he didnt respond to it i dunno what to tell you


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## texasjack (Aug 30, 2016)

Yeah, I use an exif stripper. Even on sites that do it for you i don't want the sites to know.


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## potroastV2 (Aug 30, 2016)

Tex? Tex? Yeah, I don't know where Tex is from. -- Forest Gump


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