PSA: Protect your online photos

[NoBanStan]

Hey everyone,

 

A couple of you have gotten private messages from me in the past about this, but I figured I would make a post just to inform everyone since I just ran into another one. This goes not just for Photobucket users, but to anyone who links images from their personal online photo albums.

 

Guys, please be sure to check out what privacy features your online photo album has to offer. I can't tell you how many times I've clicked on someones new EBR photo and noticed that their entire family history is documented for the world to see. I believe it's safe to say that most of us gun owners wouldn't let random people tour our homes. Well, if you don't secure your photos... that's basically what you're doing.

 

Your profile here might say where you live.... there's a picture of your house, your car, your wife and kids and there's the photo of the cabinet that you store that new LWRC in......

 

So please check into those privacy features. From a quick google search, I turned up these results. Hopefully they'll help.

 

Photobucket

http://support.photobucket.com/hc/en-us/articles/200723814-Change-Your-Privacy-Settings

 

Snapfish

http://support.snapfish.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/546/~/common-questions-about-sharing

 

Google

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-configure-privacy-settings-for-your-photos-.html

 

Shutterfly

http://www.shutterfly.com/howto/share_site/setup.jsp

 

[GlockSpock]

Also, take a moment or two to make sure that when you upload pictures of your $2,000 EBR or $2,500 Wilson Combat that you haven't accidentally included GPS coordinates for everyone to see exactly where you live.

Thieves are getting (somewhat) smarter.

[BigK]

good advice...I like it

[TripleDigitRide]

Hopefully mine are secure. 

[NoBanStan]

Hopefully mine are secure. 

 

An easy way to tell is to find a photo you've linked and click on it from a computer/phone that you aren't logged into your account from. Or just have a friend do it from their machine.  TDR, you were cool enough to mail me some free stripper clips awhile back. If you need my help just ask.

[NoBanStan]

Also, take a moment or two to make sure that when you upload pictures of your $2,000 EBR or $2,500 Wilson Combat that you haven't accidentally included GPS coordinates for everyone to see exactly where you live.

Thieves are getting (somewhat) smarter.

 

 

THIS... THIS A THOUSAND TIMES OVER. Cell phones and even camera's can geotag your photos. I turn that off immediately.......

[Ted S.]

Thanks for this. Somehow I had it set to show photo locations, but to not upload photo locations from the phote file. Wierd. Fixed it anyways.

[173rdABN]

One of the first things you should do when getting a new phone these days. TURN THAT GEOTAG CRAP OFF!

[10-Ring]

Good info here!  I always turn off geotagging.  I probably don't have my privacy settings like they should on Photobucket but I don't really have anything on Photobucket that I don't care if the world see's.

[Oh Shoot]

Advantage of using your free ISP webspace (I use Comcast) is that folks can't go to that directory and see anything else in it. Also, since I never post a photo without editing it in some form or other, the "save for web" feature of most photo editors these days will strip out all EXIF info.

 

Of course, I'm working from actual computer, and not mobile device, so I realize that is quite different.

 

- OS

[KKing]

Thanks for the tip. I don't keep anything in "my bucket" that would identify me or my home, and I actually try to clean it out periodically. That being said, even I am going to take a look at my settings

[monkeylizard]

Good tip, but also watch the content of the photos themselves. Unintentional content in the background, a hand with a class/fraternity ring, etc. can give away more info than perhaps you intended to share.

[Guest Broomhead]

When I first started my PB account, I had some lady start "following" my content. I found out about her when I started having pictures of avatars that I'd saved and other funny things removed by PB for various violations. Turns out that this lady was reporting my content. I removed her and set my account to private quick, fast, and in a hurry.

 

Just double checked and all my settings had reverted, they must've updated their privacy policy and I missed the notice.