TBT Done Right: Share the Memory, Not Your Coordinates

Throwback posts are fun because they stitch together timelines. They are dangerous because they borrow metadata from whichever device scanned or edited the image. Without a quick clean, you may share your home scanner’s serial number or the GPS data from the day you digitized the print.

Why Old Photos Gain New Metadata

When you scan a print or take a phone photo of an album page, your modern device attaches its own metadata: the scanning app, the time, and if location services are on, your current address. Even prints received from relatives may carry identifying tags from their workflows.

Throwback Privacy Checklist

1. Digitize the photo at high quality—use 600 DPI or higher when possible.
2. Open the file in the Photo Metadata Tool to inspect hidden fields.
3. Strip GPS, scanner IDs, and owner tags by clicking Remove All Metadata.
4. Add a thoughtful caption in the Metadata editor, keeping context while avoiding private details.
5. Download the clean copy and upload that version to social media.

Preserve the Story for Family, Share the Highlight Online

Keep two versions: an archival master with rich descriptions and a public shareable version with sensitive metadata removed. That way family history stays searchable while the internet only sees what you intend.