Published online at GlobalTVEdmonton.com on February 28, 2011.
Linda Hoang, Global News: Monday, February 28, 2011
GPS cell phone safety
With the advent of smartphones, taking photos with a cell phone and sharing them to friends online has become common.
But what many people don’t know is that a photo taken with a cell phone can contain GPS information that could potentially allow strangers to track locate where you are and where you’ve been.
Free software is available online to interpret GPS data and point out the exact location your photo was taken on a Google map.
Local hacker and computer security consultant Brad Haines tells Global viewers how to to turn off GPS settings on their cell phones so when you take a photo and post it online, it won’t contain GPS data that could let strangers — or stalkers — track down where you are.
General instructions for turning off GPS settings:
- For iPhone users:
- Go to Settings
- Click on General
- Select Location Services
- Specify which application have access On/Off
- Turn off Camera
- Or turn off all Location Services at the top
- For Blackberry users:
- Go to Options
- Select Advanced Options
- Go to GPS
- Select GPS Services
- Choose E911 Only
Click here to read the article on the Global Edmonton website.
