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krot
location:
Scarborough, Ontario
Gender: Male
 |  |  | Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
< on 7/11/2008 1:56 AM >
|  | | | I have recently bought a Canon digital camera and taken it on an short exploration trip. Having downloaded pictures to the computer, I noticed that the JPEG images contain absolutely full information about the camera itself, lens type, make, model, aperture, time, date, etc., but most importantly, THE CAMERA's UNIQUE SERIAL NUMBER. So, now when I upload the images from my urban exploration trips to the internet, I always remove the camera serial number from each image.
I am sure, it would be very easy to find the owner of the camera, that took a certain picture, if someone really wanted to. Especially, if that "someone" is police. The store where you bought the camera, has it's serial number and, probably your bank information and name. Also, the date of purchase, etc. Each of your JPEG images has camera make, model and S/N.
I don't think, anybody would really start looking for you if you post a photograph from Don Valley Brickworks, but still, it is good to keep in mind, that the photographs are not 100% anonymous.
Does anyone have any thoughts about this ???
[last edit 7/11/2008 2:11 AM by krot - edited 2 times]
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trent
      
I'm Trent! Get Bent!
location:
Drainwhale hunting
Gender: Male
Not on UER anymore.
| |  | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 1 on 7/11/2008 2:22 AM >
| | | | That's the first I've heard of it in camera, but it's not new. Time to put on your tinfoil hats boys and girls.
It's been know for years now that most major brand printers print out the same type of information (serial, model, IP address, etc) on each piece of paper printed. But they do it by printing it in a code of small yellow dots. I know that is for color printers, I can't remember about blank & white only ones. Also copiers too.
Good starting place for info on this: http://hardware.sl...d=08/02/15/1612226
That really sucks to hear about that in digital camera's too. But it'll happen. If you don't see anything obvious in other camera's, it might be possible that it's concealed a different way, something similar to a dot pattern. Also on a digi camera, they could also hide that information in the actual files produced (keep in mind it won't be plain text either).
The common reasons why people think the manufactures do this:
-Just good general info for them to track and defective production runs
-To trace currency counterfeiters.
-To oppress people's freedom of speech. If you old a protest with flyers, big bro has a starting point to track down the organizer of the rally.
-Now with your info, to track 'terrorist' with camera's:
http://yro.slashdo...d=07/06/30/0644201
http://yro.slashdo...d=06/02/01/0549240
-They cave to governments for cash, favors, or tax breaks.
Oh, they've also started retinal scanning and I've heard they can even pick them up from high quality photographs.
Can you tell I'm a little paranoid? But there is much truth behind all of these privacy concerns.
Your Situation:
It sounds like a nice camera with a nice price tag. So, I'm doubting you bought it with cash. You should be good as long as that camera serial number is not known to be attached to you (E.g. camera serial number attched to the box's SKU number. SKU number attached to sales records with your CC.). Make sure you don't post any online if your doing anything super hardcore because FYI big bro is spying on internet backbones too:
http://arstechnica...20060412-6585.html
http://www.homelan...ret-room-revealed/
Now that's the feds. If it's any local law enforcement, it's easier to keep the S/N away from them. Just make sure they never get you with the camera on you, or your pictures on you.
[last edit 7/11/2008 2:27 AM by trent - edited 2 times]
He who rules the underground, rules the city above.
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controleman
location:
Montreal
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 2 on 7/11/2008 2:28 AM >
| | | | I bought my camera and ?hopefully? there's no serial number under it. The sticker is there though, but it's empty. At that time I didn't knew I'd like photography that much so I wasn't really concerned, but I must assume that I do now. I'd say keep it there in case someone steal your photos, it's probably more likely to happen vs the FBI trying to catch you.. My two cents.
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shotgun mario
location:
MSP
Gender: Male
MSP Elite™ Card-Carrying Member
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 3 on 7/11/2008 2:45 AM >
| | | | I use a program to strip the information from images, and then run the images through a fine compression to break up any visual encoded information just incase (but I haven't had the need to do it for a while, usually I don't see it as important)
or, if you're really paranoid copy/paste the image into paint and safe it as a jpg. Guaranteed it will destroy any usable information with it, except computer info (horrible compression). Then upload it to a social site (facebook, myspace, etc.) from a sterile account to re-compile it on their server stripping your computer information (uploaded via a secure internet connection through tor of course), move the images to a private image host (photobucket, flickr) directly from the social site, and then use the image from that location for whatever super-duper-secret-agent agenda you have.
If it's something REALLY good (like U.S. government improper disposal of radioactive waste, or something of the sort) send it to http://wikileaks.org/ and have them forward that to the NY times or the sort. They'll keep you anonymous at all costs.
or you can just realize that it's not needed, but still lobby your politicians to complain about encoded information being extremely unnecessary and a invasion of privacy.
By the way, not all printers print out the code. There's a select number that refuse to do this...
http://www.eff.org...play-tracking-dots
slightly outdated... but you get the idea. Not all companies completely bend over for the governments.
If you want to protect the locations you love to explore, don't talk about them online in public!
If you want to make exploring friends, send people private messages! Meet up in real life! Get off the internet!
Don't try to have a UER e-penis! You won't impress anyone! This especially means you, Minneapolis MN newbies! |
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trent
I'm Trent! Get Bent!
location:
Drainwhale hunting
Gender: Male
Not on UER anymore.
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 4 on 7/11/2008 2:48 AM >
| | | | Hey, that's very sound advice from mario there. Nice.
He who rules the underground, rules the city above.
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Witek
location:
Everywhere.
Gender: Male
onwards.
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 6 on 7/11/2008 3:00 AM >
| | | | Use film.
V-tech = V-Tek = Veetek = Witek. Make it count, say it right. |
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Shawn W.
location:
Niagara Falls, NY
Gender: Male
Optimistic Pessimist
| |  | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 7 on 7/11/2008 3:02 AM >
| | | | Meta tags like that are stripped when you edit photos, which I do with most of mine.
What is a rebel? A man who says no. - Albert Camus |
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Yehoshua
location:
Ontario
Gender: Male
| | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 8 on 7/11/2008 7:01 AM >
| | | | ...I was with you up until "social networking sites like Facebook" ;)
But yes, a number of camera models presumably do this; I certainly saw it on the Canon Rebel with which I used to shoot (which model...grr)...
Our Citizen.
Our Justice.
Bring Omar Khadr back to Canada. |
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metawaffle
 
King of Puns
location:
Brisbane!
Gender: Male
Purveyor of Fine Lampshades
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 9 on 7/11/2008 7:17 AM >
| | | | I recall someone posted digital photos of each page of one of the Harry Potter books, before it was released, and left the serial number of the camera in each image. Oops.
http://www.longexposure.net |
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Jeff!
location:
Boston, MA
Gender: Male
| | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 10 on 7/11/2008 3:00 PM >
| | | |
you beat me to it 
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MIAD
location:
Here and There NSW Australia
Gender: Male
Off The Radar
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 11 on 7/12/2008 12:42 AM >
| | | | You can remove a lot of the information (or just edit it to your liking) with photo shop. Theres an option where you can set copy rights etc and photo information. Just remove it from the picture or change it
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Explorer H
 
Obla-di-obla-doberator
location:
Around the corner from the Turkey Hill
Gender: Male
I just want some slack.
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 12 on 7/12/2008 12:49 AM >
| | | | Just because a camera is registered to you doesn't mean you took the photo.
http://doublehmedia.com http://hartmancommercialphoto.com |
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phreakmonkey
location:
San Francisco Bay
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 13 on 7/19/2008 3:05 PM >
| | | | All the photos I post on the web are resized with a script I wrote in Linux using some command line image tools, which (as a side effect) doesn't transfer ANY EXIF information, so none of my online photos have any of that data still in them.
The script boils down to the core function:
djpeg {src.jpg} | pnmscale -xysize 1024 768 | cjpeg -quality 90 {dest.jpg}
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MHInc
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 14 on 7/19/2008 3:19 PM >
| | | | Posted by Explorer_H
Just because a camera is registered to you doesn't mean you took the photo.
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Agreed, I think you are getting a little over paranoid on this one.
MH Inc. Photography Canada
http://www.mhinccanada.com
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trent
I'm Trent! Get Bent!
location:
Drainwhale hunting
Gender: Male
Not on UER anymore.
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 16 on 7/20/2008 2:50 AM >
| | | | Posted by MHInc
Agreed, I think you are getting a little over paranoid on this one.
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Yes you can fight most of your case with a good lawyer for UE related stuff if you want, but why spend the money and time to do that. Just prevent it from ever happening. No one wants to defend themselves in court for the heck of it when there is no need to unless they are seriously trying to set a precedent or prove a major point.
I don't know about Canada, but here in the States, our freedoms and rights are been ripped away from us in what seems almost a daily interval. We're close to becoming a borderline fascist regime. So I think this concern might vary by region/county and also how politically aware you are.
As of today, Canada is a more free county than the US. I might be paranoid, but I also know big bro is also watching me post this. Research "room 641a" for example.
If it were me, this is what I would do to any UE photo I post:
-Strip out any information in the file about your camera/time/etc
-Give the image a good run through an image editing program to remove any things like microscopic codes that provide the same information as above.
-Photoshop out any faces of you and your UE buddies, or even better yet, don't post them at all. Also, don't use any standard photoshop functions to blur out peoples faces, use lots of manual random techniques. Government agencies can "undo" these basic operations. E.g. research the pedophile in Europe that Interpol identified after they were able to see his face by undoing a 'swirl' in photoshop that he used.
And for more of the tinfoil hat wearers like me:
-Don't ever sign up to an online account(even UER) using a known email address that can be linked to you
-Don't ever use the same online handle, logon, or password twice
-Don't allow your real name or location to be linked with the above mentioned online handle or logon.
-Don't post from your personal IP address. Anonymize yourself. Research TOR (eff.org) or something similar.
-Just do your best that your posting/photo/browsing habits cannot be linked to your handle which can then be linked to you.
Of course some of the above suggestions all vary upon the what you are doing/posting and how concerned you are. As for the "It's okay, I have nothing to hide." and the "Let them look for the terrorist on expense of my freedoms." people, well you're just opening the door to more loss of freedoms.
Just like paint takes a long time to peel from the walls once the building is abandoned, your rights also can get peeled away from you at a slow pace where you don't even noticing it happening.
"Live free or die"
-State motto of New Hampshire - the greatest state in the United States.
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
-Benjamin Franklin
//End Political Rant.
He who rules the underground, rules the city above.
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thparkth
location:
Bedford, NS
Gender: Male
nulla regula sine exceptione
| | | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 17 on 7/22/2008 9:17 PM >
| | | | For what it's worth, professional photographers quite like having that information in there because it is sometimes helpful in proving that they own the copyright to a picture.
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Jeff!
location:
Boston, MA
Gender: Male
| | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 18 on 7/23/2008 11:35 PM >
| | | | Posted by phreakmonkey
All the photos I post on the web are resized with a script I wrote in Linux using some command line image tools, which (as a side effect) doesn't transfer ANY EXIF information, so none of my online photos have any of that data still in them.
The script boils down to the core function:
djpeg {src.jpg} | pnmscale -xysize 1024 768 | cjpeg -quality 90 {dest.jpg}
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linux? U R SO L33T
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NoSuchPerson
Stop, or I'll ask you again!
| | Re: Camera information, S/N saved with the pictures.
<Reply # 19 on 7/24/2008 1:51 AM >
|  | | | Jesus people...do you REALLY think it is that much of an issue?
I'm pretty far from anonymous on the intarweb, it would take someone all of 15 minutes with google to find out who I am and where I live. I don't care because I have nothing to hide.
Unless you are taking pictures of some top-secret government installation (like Woodlawn), do you honestly think anyone is going to really care?
Unit calling radio say again? |
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