Forum

removing data from photos
 

So i've gone thru this forum and tried different things for removing data from photos. Can someone confirm that photobucket is safe to use?
I did batch purifier but it didn't remove all the info.Tried other programs but they didn't work for me.....:doh:

I don't use photobucket, so I can't answer that, but this should help you.

How to remove EXIF Data

Thanks...I will give it a shot!:hail:

brand, EXIFCleaner can remove all the photographic meta data, has a nice GUI and works blazingly fast.

I am using jStrip...any thoughts on how good it is? I just found out tonight that removing the data is important.

I use jStrip too. I works perfect and does the job for now.

If you are happy with how the program works and how the interface is, then keep using it becase it strips all the data for our purposes.

Also wanted to say I have a real good holiday in Netherlands - I think that is where your flag is

I just tried jstrip...
In the general tab all the info remains and
In the details tab under file all the info remains

Should it have removed all this info???
:bump:

In general tab, the information in there is ok and will always stay there - its not useful info for eb.

In the details tab, you will still have some info in there and that info again will always stay there - its not usful to eb.

You could do a test.... make 2 copies of the same picture. jStrip 1 of them and compare the info to see what jStrip has 'stripped'

so your telling me that if i use the same camera to take pictures for ebay that i used for a suspended account they can find that out and in turn suspend my new account?

Hi, can anyone please answer Nak question, i am very curious as well in re-posting old suspended account pics. or you an PM, Thanks guys

Did you register your real details or your stealth details with your camera account?

I'm kidding!

I never actually thought about that until now, clever, however I really don't think it would be procedure at eBay.

Too many people snatch pictures from all over the internet and off eBay itself and just throw them in their listings. I think people are only removing data from photos to smaller their size to increase loading times.

I would say it is more important that you change your style of photography and photo use. eBay or eBay members themselves can sometimes tell if someone has been suspended and registered under a different account just by looking at their pictures (and description style).

Ok so there is no like code that my camera puts on the pictures when i take them that can b uploaded to ebay when i upload the new pictures thanks for all ur help

hi
there are various details present in a data string depending on the tools used to create the image.

A digital camera image that is used straight from the camera will have data regarding your camera manufacturer and model & verios camera settings.

If you edit the image in photoshop for example - this will be in the data string, along with the version.

The version of Windows is sometimes in the data string.

The time and date it was taken/edited will be present.

Pictures taken with a new camera or maybe a new phone possibly will have a gps string - giving your exact location (this can be looked up in google maps).

Taking screenshots of your pics then selecting the photo area, will also leave a data string.

There are quite a few variables that can be filled - I'm not going to take the chance - just my personal paranoid persona :suspicious:

All of this can be easily cleaned.

It's not that this alone could link you - but if they are looking (investigating), it's got to be a factor - it would be for me if I worked for them.

^^ Yeah but it depends on what info is within the data strings. Screenshots contain very minimal data in terms of EXIF data.

So what is your plan for pictures bunny?

I would say they investigate pictures a lot more when copyright issues are raised, but removing such data is a 'nothing to lose' attitude, so I do it.

Yea i use BatchPurifier pretty cool can upload folders and many pics at once and cleans it out in a blink of an eye
have several accounts using BatchPurifier.. works great... for now

hi

Shady i'm going to disinfect mine - everytime. Time (to the millisecond) / date is present even in screenshots. Operating system, PC Manufacturer (dell, HP, etc), JPEG'S seem to have little more stored data than PNG'S.
Too much in there for my liking.
Something like ExifCleaner will do the trick quickly.

:thumb:Every time now - but I am paranoid:yar:

I have a feeling you are not referring to image data but instead file data.

you know you're probably right :talking: but then you always are.
Can they see both?
They must be able to so Im cleaning the lot.

so what your saying is if i take a picture and put into a listing,
and i use the same camera which i used for pics on a banned account
they will link the accounts,
personally i find it a bit far fetched,
how many people have the same camera and laptop as me,
also what if they check all this info your talking about and they see its been wiped clean,that alone could raise suspicion,
does it really need to be done?

MRGTB - I take the view that it is a step which makes you as 'stealth' as possible so if people feel its neccessary then its only helping to make them more 'stealth' so why not :juggle:

lol IM£,yeah but if there is no need to do it,WHY lol
i want to know if i need to be doing this,but am not convinced really,
aslong as you keep your pics in a seperate user account it should be fine surely,
INFO NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUS^^^^^

people would have to be buying different cameras and different laptops etc
coz if you did wipe all info from your pics that would be a red flag IMO
do you agree?

@MR GTB, the point is that a picture could contain unique info such as camera serial number. That would be unique to your camera only.

As a camera serial is like an IP address, it is not enough to link you, but using it with multiple accounts at the same time could link you as eBay would know that them accounts are using the same camera. ;)

Use an EXIFTOOL or take a screenshot like I said, a screenshot will not contain camera details.

Wiping data from your images would not raise a flag, it is not mandatory for it to contain such data.

shady,you said could contain unique info,so it also could not contain unique info,
is there any way of finding out if a camera has unique info within it?

is there any evidence that all cameras/pictures give off info like this,

it could be quite possible wiping data could be used against you in the court of eb law,not just that alone(like ip)but it could go towards tipping the scales out of your favour,leading to a suspension

p.s whats a screenshot? LoL :)

^^ 100% evidence, ALL cameras have a unique serial number, this is the same with the majority of electronics.

Though not all cameras place a serial number within a picture but if you want to check, then use an EXIFTOOL.

Like I said, you do not have to have such data within your images and eBay would not know if you removed it because not all images contain the same info.

whats a screenshot lol...print screeen???? ;) Check your keyboard, it takes a screen shot i.e. takes a picture of your computer window.

ok mate,
screenshot,
were on my keyboard am i looking and does it just take a pic of whatever is on the screen?
please explain bud,how do i do it and can you cut it etc

Paste, cut and crop in any picture editing software i.e. MS paint, very simple and straightforward to do this.

Look at your keyboard and look for Prt Scr, Print Scrn, Prt Scn, Prt Sc, Prt Scrn, or Prnt Scrn.

found it,what do i press it with?
shift,ctrl????

also were would i find these pictures

No just press it and then open your image editing software and paste it in.

Press print screen, open MS Paint and hold down CTRL and press V to paste it in.

It is very simple.

youve completely lost me on this shady,ive pressed every combo i can think of and nothing has happened,i know its going to be something so simple aswell:doh:
ok so d`load that programme you mentioned,press the button and paste,am with ya i think,cheers bruv!

It will paste an image of your whole screen into MS Paint. Then you have to crop it and resize it to just included the part of the screen print you want.

done it,thanks shady,works a treat,you learn something new everyday!

yeah, can't believe some people do not know how to do this, I was teaching Superdude how to do it just yesterday lol

:thumb:

hi

The tool exiftool-8.56 shows you what is in your images. Just drag the image onto the exe file and a dos screen will open up with LOTS of properties.
I experimented with various types of images that I have used, photoshopped, jpegs, png's, screenshots etc.

Note: they all contain lots of data - some of which i could not identify, but some were alarmingly identifying.

It is understandable that this data alone cannot link accounts, but if accounts are being investigated (red-flagged), and the images from the accounts are being compared, I fail to see how this could not be a factor.

Also, you don't have to get rid of all the data, if you are concerned about this being a red flag.

The tool allows you to select the properties that you wish to be cleaned, so I leave the safe data in.

thanks for info N-A-H-B,

^^ Hey got your PM, to crop in MS Paint, again it is very simple.

Select the area of the image that you want to crop and once selected, press crop:suspicious:, it will then crop the image to that selected part only. Then click save and done.

Can't see how you are doing this part wrong :noidea:

neither can i but i will have another go,brb

do you have to fill the screen though,i have been cropping the image i want to save and then saving it,but it saves the whole screen

^ In MS Paint, use the 'Select' feature to select the area of the image you want to crop, once selected press crop and it will auto crop and discard the rest of the image.

Than you just save it. Done. :amen: