I always remove this data from my screenshots before sharing, but is there any way to prevent this from happening in the first place? I've searched and searched, but all I can find is information about how to remove the data after the fact, which I already know how to do, but it would sure be nice if it never got added in the first place. Thanks.
Is this all the metadata it adds?
Because the information you've shown here is not at all sensitive. It's just the timestamp, Android version and time zone.
I knew I'd get a comment like this eventually. There's no rational reason it should be adding this data at all, and there should be a way to disable this behavior. The camera I use doesn't add this data when I take a photo, and there's no reason taking a screenshot should do so.
The software version doesn't just say "Android 14" either. It looks very specific.
No matter how you look at it, this is not an acceptable way for a device to behave, with no way to change it in settings.
The software version doesn’t just say “Android 14” either. It looks very specific.
Yeah, it's likely a rather precise Android version.
So what? What does the Android version you use reveal about you? What part of your threat model does it violate?
Here, you can have the exact version of my phone: lineage_FP4-userdebug 13 TQ3A.230901.001 2023111915 test-keys. Can you identify me now?
(In my case, you theoretically actually could because my version is unique because I homebrew my Android but if you didn't know that, it'd look like any other FP4 with !lineageos@lemmy.ml on it which is why I'm not at all worried.)
No matter how you look at it, this is not an acceptable way for a device to behave, with no way to change it in settings.
Adding useful metadata that reveals no actual data about the user is a great feature and not worth adding a setting for; especially not in the UI.
I didn't know about this before but I'll look out for that whenever sends a bug report of a mobile app with screenshot as it might include the device and Android version used which is super useful info to have when troubleshooting.
So ... do you have a way to stop screenshots from saving metadata to my screenshots or not? I've indicated my wishes. If you don't want to help, then please ignore the post.
That's so weird, exif on a screenshot? Usually my quick fix to remove exif from something when I'm on the go is to take a screenshot of it. I'm on lineage 21 and according to exiftool there's no exif data on my screenshots.
On lineageOS 20 it records the exact android build string as the Software for me, so "Android lineage_pdx215-userdebug 13 TQ3A.230901.001 b30079afa2". Which is probably enough to uniquely identify me, and you if you have a less common phone or are on an older or uncommon version.
Needless to say I am pissed.
Do you have a Samsung phone? I'm starting to think it might be yet another Samsung thing.
Google Pixel 5, if you're using a stock rom then that sounds likely.
Same here, but no "sensitive" information like what Android version I use or anything like that. It depends on what phone you use, I guess. I use a Pixel 6a with GrapheneOS.
Mine's a Samsung S21FE so I don't think I can use that OS
ObscuraCam of Guardian Project doesn't save metadata. OpenCamera is highly configurable.
edit: ah, screenshots. I think in LineageOS it's part of the launcher (app-switch doesn't work with default launcher disabled) or backed into the system. If it's the second and you have a vendor OS, guess you can only flash a custom ROM to fix it.
Yeah, unfortunately I don't believe I can flash a custom rom onto a Samsung. Ugh.
Thanks for responding!
I don't know of a screen shot app that works without addind metadata to screen shots. What I use is "Metadata Remover" from Fdroid: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/rocks.poopjournal.metadataremover
You take a screen shot, open the screen shot image from Metadata Remover, click on "Remove metadata", and the moment it's done, it'll take you to share automatically.
I hope this helps you.
I love when people post well known and obvious information. if you hadn't realized metadata is present then idk what to tell you.
