Folks at some.pics have been sharing some lovely landscapes! What about we give them an opportunity to share where the photo was taken?
It would be cool if there were an opt-in option to make geographical EXIF data publicly visible under the photo, with maybe a link to the coordinates on OpenStreetMap.
Something like this after the resolution info:
Or maybe:
The checkbox would be (obviously) left unchecked by default, and maybe also an option to override the location manually.
Hi @gil, apologies for missing this post! I love the idea. I’ve had some conversations with other folks who have expressed different opinions on the GPS data in EXIF, especially around wanting to retain it on an opt-in basis.
I worry about scenarios in which folks might opt in, forget that they did, and then accidentally upload something with sensitive location data. I’d feel terrible if anything like that happened. Also, in general, I would personally feel better about not keeping or storing original EXIF data in general. I’d much prefer that we avoid any scenario in which someone could accidentally reveal that data through misconfiguration or other accidents.
However, I like I said above, I really do love the idea. What I think we could do, if you’re OK with it, is offer the option to manually place a pin on a map (as we currently do on the omg.lol Member Map) so that you can still show where a photo was taken and people could still see it on a nice map. While it’s true that this would add a couple of extra clicks when uploading a pic, it would ensure that you are always in control over your location data.
I’m happy to discuss further if you feel like there’s still a case to be made for allowing the original GPS data to be retained on a per-upload basis, or if you (or anyone else) thinks that I’m just being too paranoid about all of this. 
I just try hard to advocate for everyone’s privacy and worry about the implications of making it too easy for folks to accidentally harm themselves.
Yes! Seems like a good idea!
IMHO pin is fine, but so would an opt-in on a per photo basis.
I actually get Adam’s reasoning here. In fact, I think most photo sharing services have you manually pick the location before sharing, rather than picking that straight from EXIF data.
What Adam appears to be doing is stripping the geo EXIF data as you upload the photo, which is generally a good idea. I can see how adding an additional step where the location data remains in the photo until you decided that you don’t want it would be potentially less safe, and give Adam substantially more work in implementing that.
Manually adding a pin seems to me like the safer option.
Totally agree. Better be on the safe side. I just thought it would be fine, if there was an option I have to agree with before uploading a picture. It is better not to store GPS data without explicit permission.
Some (more than 75%) of the pics I uploaded @ my old blog was pics of food at a restaurant, and I don’t really mind the restaurant GPS data to be retained, given it can be quickly inferred by the restaurant name and various business review sites (ie. That one @ Google Maps), or already defunct… I think I’d rather keep the GPS data and one day I could draw a bunch of pins in the map with it /joke
Pins: I post most of the stuff over the phone and it is REAL PITA to deal with pins with phone.
