WARNING! If You're Posting Photos Online From Your Smart Phone, Ipad, or Ipod, You NEED TO READ THIS!!!

     I just recently got an Ipod Touch.  I LOVE it!!!  Seriously!  Its great!  I can listen to music, take pics and videos, play games, etc.  Its been great for taking quick pics of my little one or the food I just made or the craft I just finished.  I also love the GPS inside!  As long as I have internet access I can search for the nearest Chick-fil-a or the nearest Target.  It ROCKS!!!

     But there is one SERIOUS DOWNSIDE.  That little GPS in my ipod also affects the camera.  That means that every time I take a pic with my ipod and post it on the internet it includes location data.  Now, the data is imbedded, so most of us don't even know its there.  But it can be found pretty easily.

“Any 16 year-old with basic programming skills can do this,” said Gerald Friedland, a researcher at the International Computer Science Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.

- Quote from "Web Photos That Reveal Secrets, Like Where You Live"

Kate Murphy, New York Times

Seriously!!!???!!!  EVERY pic you post has your location in it!  This imbedded info can be easily turned into a google map.  I watched a TERRIFYING news video that talked about this threat.  They not only found the little girl's home, but they were actually able to map out which bedroom was hers!!!  How scary is that!!!

And this isn't just a risk for those of us with kids.  Have you ever posted a pic of you house?  Your car?  Your new TV?  Any other pricey item?  A pic of you in your favorite Starbucks?  Your workplace?  The park you like to run in?  Theives and stalkers can use that info to map out your every move!  Just a few clicks and they can find out when your at work, when you're going on vacation, where your house is, etc.

So, now that I've succeeded in scaring you half to death, what can you do about this?  GREAT NEWS!!!  This problem is easily fixed!  If you have an IPhone, new Ipad, or Ipod Touch, simply go to "Settings," click on "Location Services."  Scroll down to "Camera" and turn the GPS to OFF.  That simple!!!

If you have a Blackberry, Palm, or Android, you can go to THIS WEBSITE to find out how to turn the GPS off on your cameras.

Let's make sure we are doing all we can to keep our families safe!!!

God bless!



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