Protect privacy before upload
Check and, when appropriate, remove sensitive GPS or identifying fields before a file leaves your device. This keeps privacy decisions under your control instead of depending on downstream processing.
Keep the original separate
The image shown on a platform can be resized or recompressed. Preserve an original backup if you need full resolution and camera details, and inspect any downloaded copy separately.
A repeatable check for the file you share
First inspect the original, then create your outgoing copy. If sensitive fields are present, remove metadata and save the new file. Finally inspect the downloaded or received copy for GPS, capture date and pixel dimensions. Check again when the sending method changes. A metadata standard describes file fields, not the behavior of every WhatsApp or Instagram release, so platform privacy should not depend on a blanket removal claim.