Know which information you are checking
An image can carry metadata inside the file, while its source page carries separate information such as a caption or publication date. A platform may strip file metadata yet still display a location you added to the post. Removing one does not automatically remove the other.
For a photograph you own, use your operating system or photo editor’s information panel to inspect the file. Note that file creation time may describe when you downloaded or exported it, not when the camera captured it. Missing metadata is common and does not prove manipulation.
Make a separate sharing copy
Keep the original for your records. Export a copy using your photo tool’s privacy or metadata controls. If location is the concern on Apple devices, Apple’s location-metadata guide explains removal and sharing options. Menu labels depend on device and version.
Open the exported copy and check it again. This final step matters: selecting an option in an editor does not establish which file you later chose in an upload dialog. Use a clear filename so the original and sharing copy are not confused.
Inspect the visible image too
- Background text. Addresses, shipping labels and screens can reveal information without metadata.
- Location clues. A recognisable home entrance or nearby street sign can remain after GPS data is removed.
- Other people. A crop may help exclude someone who did not agree to the upload.
- Screenshot edges. Notifications, chat names and account details are easy to overlook.
Do not use an AI editor to invent missing details in a picture you are treating as evidence. Preserve an untouched version and distinguish privacy edits from the original.
What this means for Facehunch
Selecting a photo in Facehunch keeps a local preview until you start an API test. Starting the test sends the chosen file to FaceCheck. Facehunch does not promise to strip metadata for you, so prepare the sharing copy before selection. The privacy page explains the current flow and its cleanup limitations.
If you already published a file containing sensitive details, changing a local copy will not retrieve it. Review the hosting platform and any image-search removal process separately.