Answer: removing photo metadata
How to remove metadata from photosStrip location and device data from a copy before you share, and keep the original
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.
The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.
Short answer
On Windows, right-click the photo, choose Properties, then Details, then Remove Properties and Personal Information. On a Mac, export from Preview with Include Location Information unticked. On iPhone, tap Share, then Options, and turn off Location. Work on a copy, and check the result. Removing metadata also removes useful provenance clues.
How to remove it
Windows: right-click the file, choose Properties, then the Details tab, then Remove Properties and Personal Information, and pick either a copy with all possible properties removed or specific properties to remove. Mac: open the image in Preview, choose File, then Export, and make sure Include Location Information is not ticked. Then check the result (UK Safer Internet Centre, guide to removing EXIF metadata).
iPhone: in Photos, select the photo, tap Share, then Options, and turn off Location. “Location Not Included” appears above Options (Apple Support). Apple’s steps describe turning off location for the photos you share. Check the exported copy to see what else remains.
Some platforms remove metadata automatically on upload, but this varies; see does social media remove metadata from photos. For what EXIF is, see what is EXIF data.
The trade-off for creators
Metadata can include where and when a photo was taken and the device used, which is a privacy risk. It can also be a useful clue that a photo is yours. But it can be edited or stripped, so it is not proof; see can photo metadata be faked.
Keep the original file with its metadata and share the stripped copy. A TimeBind records a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact file and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded. A fingerprint of the original lets you show later that the file you hold is unchanged since that time. A TimeBind shows a file existed by a recorded time and has not changed since. It does not register copyright, is not legal advice and does not by itself prove who made the file.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
Frequently asked questions
Does removing metadata change the photo?
The pixels stay the same if you only remove metadata, but a re-saved or re-exported file can be re-compressed. Check the result.
Does removing EXIF data remove my copyright information?
It can, if your name or copyright notice is stored in the metadata. Keep the original, and consider adding a visible credit.
How do I know the metadata is gone?
Open the copy’s properties, or use a tool such as ExifTool, and check the fields.
Does stripping metadata hide a photo’s origin?
It removes embedded details, but the image can still be traced by other means, such as a reverse image search.
Sources
- UK Safer Internet Centre, Guide to removing EXIF metadata.
- Apple Support, Manage location metadata in Photos.
- ExifTool, exiftool.org.
- TimeBinder, Does social media remove metadata from photos?.
Related guides and tools
Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on
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- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.