It seems harmless enough-snapping pictures with your smart phone and then posting them on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and your own blog. It is a fun way to let family and friends know what you have been up to. But those images are likely giving away much more information than you realize-and to the wrong people as well.
You see, the pictures and videos that you take with your smart phone are likely revealing your location to anyone who can see them. This is the process of geotagging. And as we all know, there are many ways for others to see our photos on Facebook and Twitter-simply by sharing the photo or even as a result of others 'liking' the photo. The truth is, you have no idea who is viewing your photos.
When geographical information is attached to a video or photo it is called geotagging. This is automatically done by many smartphones. This information contains the precise longitude and latitude that you were at when the picture was snapped. This tagging is usually accomplished by using geo-coordinates and GPS or global positioning system data. And it is so accurate that it can tag your location within about a meter of your actual position.
There are many people who find geotagging useful. For example, law enforcement officials can put it to good use when they are trying to solve crimes or get help to people in need. Professional photographers also find it handy when they catalogue and organize their photos.
But in spite of the good uses of geotagging, there are also reasons to be concerned, because you may be broadcasting to the world information about where you are located, and this could be dangerous. For example, if you post an ad for an expensive item on Craigslist and include a picture, a crook can track you down and steal from you, even if he lives on the other side of the country!
The good news is that you can turn the geotagging feature off on your smart phone, if you do not want your geographical information spread around. After navigating to the settings tab, find an option that is something like location, location services or even GPS. Follow the instructions to turn off the tagging system. Are you interested in learning more about geotagging? If so, visit this website: http://icanstalku.com/how.php
You see, the pictures and videos that you take with your smart phone are likely revealing your location to anyone who can see them. This is the process of geotagging. And as we all know, there are many ways for others to see our photos on Facebook and Twitter-simply by sharing the photo or even as a result of others 'liking' the photo. The truth is, you have no idea who is viewing your photos.
When geographical information is attached to a video or photo it is called geotagging. This is automatically done by many smartphones. This information contains the precise longitude and latitude that you were at when the picture was snapped. This tagging is usually accomplished by using geo-coordinates and GPS or global positioning system data. And it is so accurate that it can tag your location within about a meter of your actual position.
There are many people who find geotagging useful. For example, law enforcement officials can put it to good use when they are trying to solve crimes or get help to people in need. Professional photographers also find it handy when they catalogue and organize their photos.
But in spite of the good uses of geotagging, there are also reasons to be concerned, because you may be broadcasting to the world information about where you are located, and this could be dangerous. For example, if you post an ad for an expensive item on Craigslist and include a picture, a crook can track you down and steal from you, even if he lives on the other side of the country!
The good news is that you can turn the geotagging feature off on your smart phone, if you do not want your geographical information spread around. After navigating to the settings tab, find an option that is something like location, location services or even GPS. Follow the instructions to turn off the tagging system. Are you interested in learning more about geotagging? If so, visit this website: http://icanstalku.com/how.php
About the Author:
Author Mark Mahaffey can show you how to keep yourself safe from crimewith your phone. He is an expert in personal security tips. To learn more about geotagging, click here.
