What metadata is and how to delete it

It may seem routine, but every photo we post on social media or every like we give has much more information than we think. Therefore, in this article we will explain what metadata is, what is behind it and how we can protect ourselves.

What is metadata?

When we talk about this concept we refer to all the information that accompanies a file. It is not usually seen with the naked eye, and usually its main function is to describe what is in said file. One of the clearest examples we can find are the photographs we take with our mobile phone. On the one hand, we find the 0 and 1 that serve to appreciate the image. However, and in a much more discreet way, you can see other data such as the GPS coordinates where the photo was taken, if it has been edited or the name of the device with which it was taken.

The same goes for another file format such as office documents. Whether it is a Word or Excel file, among others, there are many types of metadata that should not be lost sight of. Some of the most common are, for example, the name of the author of the document or the path in which it is saved on the computer. It may also be accompanied by other information internal to the organization itself.

They may seem like unimportant data, but all this information collected from users can be used to develop a really interesting profile. The hours we spend on the Internet, the number of profiles we have on social networks, as well as other really numerous parameters. For this reason,
artificial intelligence in business applications
plays such an important role.

Do not fall into the false idea of privacy on the network

On many occasions, we are not aware of all the information about us that can be found on the Internet. This can lead us to believe that we live in a false anonymity and privacy. This attitude of poor protection benefits large companies that can find a gold mine in their marketing strategies. Geolocation through any mobile device allows us to know our geographical location. The footprint we leave on the Internet can lead to doing the rest.

Plus, there’s nothing illegal about everything most social media companies do. They have all the authorization to save each of the movements that users can make. Also, telephone companies have the ability to save the directory of all the calls we make. Do not forget that the duration of these is another of the data they have at their disposal. On the other hand, financial institutions also have all the information on the banking movements we make.

And so we could go on until we make an endless list. In the part of the privacy policy of the websites we are giving our consent so that they can track us. Each metadata reveals much of our anonymity without us noticing. Therefore, below, we will give some recommendations that we can apply to keep all our actions safe.

How to protect yourself from this threat

To the extent possible, when we start using an app, do not give the location permissions requested by the system or any other permission not necessary for the operation of the application (for example, many apps ask for microphone permission or access to your contact list). Also, if we are active in social networks, it is important that we think about the amount of information we share. The greater the number of publications, the greater the opportunities for brands to use all the data we offer. In fact, when uploading a photo, experts always recommend that we do not do it immediately. Let’s take the image, and when we are no longer on stage we can make the post. It can even be useful not to connect to public networks when we do this type of activity.

However, although it seems like a lot, it is not enough to have total anonymity. In the event that we want to reach those levels, we must check the mobile phone we use. We are not worth any, but it is recommended that it is encrypted. Another option is to look for a SIM card that has been encrypted. In this way, all our data and information will be completely encrypted. Regardless of where we are, we will go completely unnoticed.

Office automation programs allow you to delete all data

In the case of computer files, it is very easy to find websites that are responsible for deleting all these types of data. However, we never recommend doing so. In most cases it will be necessary to upload them to the system. This may result in third parties being able to seize the information.

Both Word documents and PDF files allow you to viewand delete all the data that you do not want to be visible. You just have to follow the procedure.

Pasiona, consulting experts in cybersecurity

In Pasiona we are a business consultancy that is specialized in software development. Our team has
extensive experience in cybersecurity
and we can advise companies to take care of the data they leave on the network.

We analyze the needs that businesses may have and design a completely customized solution. Likewise, one of our differential values is that we accompany all our clients throughout the process. From the moment we define the project until we start it.

In conclusion, now that we know what metadata is, we can be better prevented on the Internet. There is a lot of information that we leave when we are on the network. Therefore, appropriate measures must be taken to avoid possible setbacks or reveal confidential data. There are some tips that we can apply to reduce the footprint we leave to third parties over time.