Mom scare: GPS on phone cameras identifying kids’ locations
I was sent a link via Facebook and an email from two separate mothers this week warning me to turn off the GPS function on my phone’s camera.
The concern is that there is software that can examine the meta data in posted pictures of your kids and find out exactly where the photos were taken and where your family hangs out.
I think this is a very legitimate warning to parents, although the news cast makes it seem more scary than it needs to be. There’s a simple 10-second solution for most phones, which the news cast explains at the very end after scaring you for the first 3.5 minutes.
So watch the video, check your phone and decide if you want the GPS meta data imbedded in your images. (I think it’s actually an advantage if you are using Mac’s iPhoto. I think it will match photos up by location through that meta data. Let me know if I am wrong on this function.)
My phone actually advises to keep the GPS off because it uses so much battery power.
And while I think the warning is worthwhile, I am equally fascinated by the way the mom warnings travel. The mom who sent the video via Facebook lives in Maryland and the other mom was a grandmother in Arizona. The news cast though looks like it was from Nov. 2010 so it took a while to circulate.
Have you gotten this warning this week? Did it come via Facebook? Will you disable the GPS on your phone camera?
– Theresa Walsh Giarrusso, Momania on ajc.com
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65 comments Add your comment
jarvis
August 26th, 2011
1:12 pm
Indeed you hit on A+++ shaggy. It’s still the most commonly replicated classic in the wolkd as far as I know.
jarvis
August 26th, 2011
1:14 pm
I’ve definitely taken us waaay off topic today. I apologize.
That said, http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/822331/bj5_m.jpg
Becky
August 26th, 2011
1:18 pm
@mystery poster..I have a picture of my grandson sitting in a 1957 Chevy that the man bought brand new..The grandson thought that wzs awesome..My dream car is a 1957 T-Bird.. The grandson just turned 9 and for his 12th birthday, he wants a 1950 Studebaker (?)..He figures if he gets it when hes 12, that gives him time to fix it up and learn to drive it..
shaggy
August 26th, 2011
1:22 pm
Another one that is forgotten, except for those of us that have experienced the g force that is remarkeably likened to an F-16, The 1970 Ford, 351 “Cleveland”, Mach I, Mustang. This car ain’t for lightweights. The ONLY car that I have seen to stand up to this mega torquester was a VW that had a Porche drivetrain. The VW didn’t even smoke the tires. It just LEAPED to the finish mark.
******
August 26th, 2011
2:30 pm
this is not cool that all
jarvis
August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
1965 Stingray Coupe….
How genious was Chevy? They one to each Astronaut.
FCM
August 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
Jack the Ripper was the first modern seriel killer…at least 5 victims carried the same MO…and another 6 were very similar. Authorities had an additional 13 but felt they were “copy cat”.
Today experts have found similar MO across the US around the “Jack” was alive…as if “Jack” jumped on a ship and came to the US to keep from being caught.
Why do I mention this?
Jack certainly did not have GPS.
jarvis
August 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
No, Jack knew where to find hookers. They were on the streets at night.
Let’s hope children are a little harder to get at.
DB
August 27th, 2011
10:10 am
@Becky: When I was in college, one of my friends had a beautiful blue 57 T-bird that his grandfather had bought when he was born and put up on blocks. Every year, he’d take it down, run it, change the fluids, drive it a bit, and then put it back up on blocks. When my friend turned 18, his grandfather gave it to him as a high school graduation present — a ‘57 T-bird with 1,087 miles on it. Man, that was a sweeeeet ride! Of course, he would never volunteer to go to the grocery store or anything mundane like that — “no, man, can’t put miles on the ride . . .”
catlady
August 27th, 2011
3:45 pm
I tried to learn to drive on a gold 66 Mustang convertible of my dad’s. Couldn’t handle all the pedals and still steer. A couple of years later my dad got me a 69 Barracuda, 4 speed, with flowered roof and seats–so coool– and that baby would fly! My boyfriend taught me to manage the clutch in 30 minutes in the church parking lot. Actually, he taught me more than that…
jarvis
August 27th, 2011
4:52 pm
@catlady, the cieling was flowered? That’s awsome.
Jon
August 29th, 2011
8:36 am
There’s Mickey Mouse standing beside them and Cinderella’s castle behind them… but thank goodness I had the GPS off! The stalker will never find out where my family vacationed!
jmb
August 29th, 2011
2:37 pm
JJ & Jarvis, I have a 2002 Trans Am Ram Air that I bought new and a 67 SS Camaro I’m pushing the hubby to finish restoring. I’m leaning on selling the 67 for a 68 so if you’re interested get in touch with me and I’ll send you some pics. Hubby is a body man so it’s going to look top notch when finished.
Lekisha Poudrier
August 30th, 2011
7:45 am
Very interesting, helpful, and well written, thanks for sharing.
Maureen
September 1st, 2011
6:24 am
I think it’s silly. If someone wants to find kids to stalk, they don’t need to get that technical. Problems with strangers are very rare anyway and this stranger fear / far outlier obsessive worrying distracts from the more realistic threats.