image-metadata-scrubbing

name	image-metadata-scrubbing
description	Use when discussing image metadata, EXIF data, GPS removal, or privacy concerns related to photos and images.

Image Metadata Scrubbing

What is Image Metadata?

Digital images contain embedded metadata (EXIF data) including:

• GPS coordinates: Exact location where photo was taken
• Timestamps: Date and time of capture
• Camera info: Device model, settings, serial numbers
• Software: Editing history
• Thumbnails: Embedded preview images

Privacy Risks

GPS metadata in shared images can reveal:

• Home address
• Work location
• Travel patterns
• Sensitive locations visited

Removal Methods

GPS Only (Recommended Default)

Removes location data while preserving useful metadata like dates and camera settings.

exiftool -gps:all= -xmp:geotag= -exif:gpsinfo= image.jpg

All Metadata

Complete removal for maximum privacy:

exiftool -all= image.jpg
# or with ImageMagick:
convert image.jpg -strip image.jpg

Tools

exiftool (recommended):

• Most comprehensive metadata support
• Selective removal capability
• Supports all common formats
• Install: brew install exiftool

ImageMagick:

• Simpler but less control
• Only supports full strip
• Install: brew install imagemagick

Common Formats

Format	GPS Support	Notes
JPEG	Yes	Most common, full EXIF
PNG	Limited	XMP metadata possible
HEIC	Yes	iPhone default format
WEBP	Yes	Modern web format
TIFF	Yes	Full EXIF support

Best Practices

1. Scrub metadata BEFORE sharing images publicly
2. Use GPS-only removal to preserve useful data
3. Use full strip for sensitive documents
4. Verify removal with exiftool -a image.jpg