# Question about images posted online **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475 "2015-06-14T01:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/1 "2015-06-14T01:27:29Z")
Hi all, Suppose I copy an image I find online and save it into my photos folder. Then, from my photos folder I post that image on the Book of Faces. Is there a way someone can glean info from my posted photo in order to find where I originally got it from? I ask not for nefarious reasons, I am merely putting together a fun little game and I’d like to eliminate cheaters. Thanks, mmm ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/2 "2015-06-14T01:45:32Z")
Usually jpeg photos have [EXIF metadata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchangeable_image_file_format) in them, which may or may not tell you something, depending on which metadata tags are present. However, facebook strips exif data from posted photos. OTOH, you can search with something like [tineye](http://www.tineye.com/), and possibly figure out where the image came from. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/3 "2015-06-14T02:20:48Z")
Tineye and Google Image Search lets you find other versions of the same image, which sometimes lead you to their origins. It’s not a guarantee\* but I have sourced images via Google frequently, a few times per month in fact. The fewer sources the harder it can be, but then again the more likely you’d pin it down exactly. \*_Tineye hasn’t successfully found anything for me in years_ ---
**Author:** ![Stravinsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Stravinsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stravinsk)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/4 "2015-06-15T07:45:33Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Usually jpeg photos have [EXIF metadata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchangeable_image_file_format) in them, which may or may not tell you something, depending on which metadata tags are present. However, facebook strips exif data from posted photos. > > OTOH, you can search with something like [tineye](http://www.tineye.com/), and possibly figure out where the image came from. This. Also you can eliminate the Exif data by editing image in GIMP. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/5 "2015-06-15T15:02:00Z")
> [@Stravinsk](#): > > This. > > Also you can eliminate the Exif data by editing image in GIMP. Also by taking a screen shot of the image and posting that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/6 "2015-06-15T15:29:23Z")
> [@Kenm](#): > > Also by taking a screen shot of the image and posting that. But that’s creating a new image, typically much much lower resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/7 "2015-06-15T15:33:15Z")
Fun fact: it’s not hard to find photos online that have geo-tagging info embedded in the EXIF data, locating the spot to a back yard. Sooooo handy for stalking and harassment… ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/8 "2015-06-15T16:57:45Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Fun fact: it’s not hard to find photos online that have geo-tagging info embedded in the EXIF data, locating the spot to a back yard. > > Sooooo handy for stalking and harassment… Heh. Actually, it seems to me that fewer pictures are geotagged than you might expect. Reasons: 1. A lot of pictures are taken with smartphones, which do generally have geotagging capability. However, Android’s camera app seems to have geotagging turned off by default - I don’t know about iphone - I use Android, and mine’s off. IMO, that’s probably the right default. 2. Some point and shoot digital cameras have geotagging built in, but, perhaps surprisingly, most higher end cameras do not. If you want your photos geotagged, you have to buy an add-on accessory, or use a GPS tracker or your phone to synch the photos later on the basis of time stamps. The time stamp from the camera, and technical details such as model of camera, lens focal length and exposure are nearly always provided by a digital camera. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/9 "2015-06-15T17:01:02Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > 1. A lot of pictures are taken with smartphones, which do generally have geotagging capability. > > 2. Some point and shoot digital cameras have geotagging built in, but, perhaps surprisingly, most higher end cameras do not. So, generally speaking, it’s the clueless idiots snapping pix of their family, their impromptu orgy or their naked spouse covering his/her face that are the ones likely to use a tagging camera, and probably not know about the feature or if it’s enabled. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/10 "2015-06-15T17:09:01Z")
I have had success “defeating” Google image search by opening the photo in an editor and reversing it horizontally. I also re-size it slightly. When I do this, it no longer shows up on Google image search. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/11 "2015-06-15T17:13:01Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But that’s creating a new image, typically much much lower resolution. That’s a feature, not a bug. If I were to post a pic to, say, Dropbox, to share it among those I know who may want to print it, it would be high-def, though I’d likely still strip the EXIF. But posting a pic on some social-networking site, for instance, not a chance. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/12 "2015-06-16T15:22:31Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But that’s creating a new image, typically much much lower resolution. So is opening the image in GIMP and resaving it. Except, instead of lower resolution, it’s just lower quality. You can just remove the EXIF data itself, if you wish. Personally, I use a program I already have for other purposes: [FileOptimizer](http://nikkhokkho.sourceforge.net/static.php?page=FileOptimizer). It losslessly reduces the file size of a whole host of filetypes. (Though **not** PDF, despite supporting them.) It also has an option to remove EXIF data–though I’m not sure if it’s on or off by default. Someone else mentioned flipping the image. You can also do that losslessly with [JPEGcrop](http://marker.to/045Vnn). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-images-posted-online/722475/13 "2015-06-17T01:51:42Z")
> [@CheshireKat](#): > > I have had success “defeating” Google image search by opening the photo in an editor and reversing it horizontally. I also re-size it slightly. When I do this, it no longer shows up on Google image search. This is most excellent to know. I might be too lazy to carry it out, though. mmm