How safe is it to post pics and progress here?

[crack-attack]

when you upload a pic to icmag doesn't it strip the exif data?

 

[Max Headroom]

when you upload a pic to icmag doesn't it strip the exif data?

i don't know if the forum does this, but it would be a very nice feature!

 

[crack-attack]

i uploaded a pic and checked the exif, and seems once uploaded there is no exif information on the image..

 

[igrowone]

i have seen a few posts by people claiming to have had some pics brought out(from grow sites) at court hearings
can't verify those cases, just seen a few
from what i can gather, they seemed to be used mostly as part of the 'shock' attack
but i've yet to see where there has been prosecution based on them, or that they survived the evidentiary hearing

 

[KindKat]

after reading a recent report which found that my home state of Florida had become the #1 state for growhouse arrests i got curious to see if there was any pattern to what led to those arrests and it seems like in the several dozen cases i read about all came down to either

(a)careless grower mistakes like leaving a garage door open or stealing power or having plants in the backyard in ready view

or

(b)dealing/having high traffic going in out.

this combined with some other things i've been hearing has led me to suspect that the cops around here at least aren't actually putting that much effort(like trolling forums) into busting marijuana growers because they're already busting more than they can deal with as it is and also the medical defense has become a valid strategy even in states that do not officially recognize medical MJ so DA's in cash-strapped city halls are not as eager to take on expensive prosecutions that may not bring conviction. this combined with the fact that many members of this site are not actually breaking the laws of their home states leaves me with the impression that it wouldn't really be worth the effort for most law enforcement agencies. but in this modern age of total surveillance nothing can ever be ruled out.

though the events that led to the takedown of Overgrow should serve as an enduring warning i do not think they will come into play here because it seems like the administrators of this site know the consequences of making oneself a high-profile target.

 

[CannaBunkerMan]

Well said, KindKat.

 

[KindKat]

hey, thanks, CannaBunkerMan!!

 

[Dislexus]

OG got taken down because we were getting too close to the truth in the Politics & Debate forum!! Damn you Dick Cheney!!

 

[KSP]

i uploaded a pic and checked the exif, and seems once uploaded there is no exif information on the image..

Good to know, but why take a chance? Run them through an image scrubber\cleaner first. Ounce of prevention and all of that...

 

[h^2 O]

i always post my pictures after the plant(s) are gone and dried

 

[mrcreosote]

How safe is it to post pics and progress here?

Not very.

I'm scanning the fingerprints on your post as we speak.

 

[PhenoMenal]

...

 

[PhenoMenal]

One thing to keep in mind with this site is that the admins haven't updated its software in over 2 and a half years, and many vulnerabilities for this version of the software have been disclosed. Most, if not all have been fixed by the vBulletin developers, but those fixes haven't been deployed here even though all that is required is a software update, but in the last two and a half years that has never happened.

I think the one thing we should all take out of this is to NEVER ASSUME that a website (whether its icmag or ANY website) you attend regularly will put your privacy first -- ONLY YOU can truly put your privacy first.

Before you ever post any photos consider if they could possibly be incriminating to you ... if they could be, then don't post them.

Also check to ensure that your photos don't contain EXIF metadata... these are basically storage fields within a photo that can contain _any_ type of information the camera wants to save, such as time and date, camera name and model... these days even GPS data is being stored. (Obviously these fields aren't visible when viewing the photo image itself, it's in a sense 'hidden data', but easy to see with the right software)

There are plenty of programs available to view and strip EXIF data.

So in conclusion ... want to be safe? Then it's entirely up to you ... just never leave your security up to websites or 3rd parties

 

[BabyHuey]

It is a good idea to also strip EXIF data from
any pics you have saved anywhere.
I strip and save using IrfanView.
I then delete the original as an added precaution
to severe the link between my camera and the pics.

Only you can really judge if you feel safe posting pics.

 

[seeyouaunty]

Beware taking pictures with a phone. They usually embed the GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken into the EXIF data of the jpg. Obviously a bad thing if you're posting photos of your home grow.

 

[ijim]

Depends on your local or state LEO. And how desperate they are to steal your property. Oops I meant to say confiscate and sell it. The DEA, IRS and homeland security. Yes if you are a user or grower you are a threat to the country. Has well paid with your tax money people that monitor these sites as well as sites like twitter and facebook. Don't use the same name on other sites, The thing is not to talk about making lots of money. Not to show pics of your children, cars, home or yes Ive seen pics in here with mail in them with addresses. Don't make it easy for them.

 

[seeyouaunty]

The thing is not to talk about making lots of money. Not to show pics of your children, cars, home or yes Ive seen pics in here with mail in them with addresses. Don't make it easy for them.

Another one is don't accidentally take detailed photos of your hands. Twice now i've had to quietly point out to a poster that i can clearly make out their fingerprints in the photos they posted (!)