Geotags can be assigned to many devices including cameras, webcams, smart phones, video, web sites, SMS messages, and more. They can be useful or harmful depending on your desire to reveal the exact location where it exists.
Soldiers using smartphones
It may be a lot of fun taking pictures of yourself, your buddies, and your surroundings but if you're in a classified or otherwise sensitive location, you'd better think twice about where you post them.
You can be tagged to the exact location where you are standing. Within minutes of your posting.
A U.S. Army publication Social Media Roundup states, "The Army is always working to protect itself against security breaches, but with new technologies come new risks. Today, more than ever, it is vitally important that Army leaders, soldiers, and Army civilians know what they can do to protect themselves and their families."
About Geotagging Photos
Certain formats, like JPG or JPEG, allow geographic information to be embedded in the image and can be read by picture viewers. This shows the exact location where the picture was taken! Information on how to turn off this GPS information is found in the camera manufacturer's User Manual and should be studied and used. If this information is not readily available, call the manufacturer and find out. This may well be the most important lesson you will learn about using your camera or smartphone. Indeed, military personnel who tag an uploaded photo from a sensitive or classified location may be in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Location-based Social Networking
Many internet sites like Facebook, MySpace, Foursquare, and others, are currently very popular for posting pictures. These sites are changing the way we see security and privacy on an individual level. Many of them have literally millions of viewers and can easily perceive the locations taken from iPhone, Android, WebOS, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry, and others. They are automatically active, but these viewing features can be disabled by contacting the site Administrators or Webmasters.
Turn Them Off
THINK before you post. It's up to you and you are the only one who can do it. To do otherwise may be to expose your home, work, or life, to total strangers...or worse! You can delete geotagged photos, but once the information is out there, even if posted briefly, it's out of the user's hands. Be aware and knowledgeable about the default functions of any device you are using. A thorough understanding of your specific system and the ability to turn off unwanted functions will go a long way toward your self protection.
Source:
United States Army u.s.army.gov
(Individual brand names are the trademarks of their respective owners.)
Gene Richards - Richards' career followed a dual path. Radiology: Until ill health forced an early retirement, he was the owner and CEO of a ...
Join the Conversation