Do not rely on a general rule
A photo sent as an image may not be identical to one sent as a document or file. Product behavior also changes. Treat the exact received file as the source of truth.
Verify both privacy and quality
Save the received copy, then inspect its GPS, EXIF, dimensions, and compression. This shows what the recipient actually has rather than what the sender selected.
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.