Labs · 🟢 Local sample verified · 1 November 2026 · Viewer and cleaner compared
Reddit image lab: what is in the JPEG before you post it?
Before I post an image on Reddit, can I see whether GPS is still in the file, and does a preview replace that check?
A Reddit preview is not the camera original. GPS and camera fields in the local sample were gone after the clean. Another person’s download shows only the file they saved. Clean the copy in this browser before sending. The file stays on this device and is not uploaded to this site.
Old posts and new clients do not share one metadata habit. The file you can settle now is the one on this device.
Short answer
Direct answer: GPS and camera fields in the local sample were removed in the cleaned copy. A Reddit preview is not that original.
- What was measured: The viewer read those fields. The cleaner copy did not contain them.
- What that does not prove: Someone else’s saved image shows their download, not your camera roll and not a server inventory.
- What you can do first: Clean the copy in this browser before the file leaves the device. Nothing is uploaded to this site.
🟢 Local sample verified · 1 November 2026 · Viewer and cleaner compared
- Published
- Last updated
- Last tested
What we measured
Sample dated 2026-11-01. The viewer read location and camera fields. The cleaned file no longer has them. The file stayed on this device.
| Field | Local sample (viewer) | Cleaned copy (cleaner) |
|---|---|---|
| GPS / location | 35 deg 0' 0.00" N, 135 deg 0' 0.00" E | No GPS |
| EXIF | EXIF present (camera make, model, and settings) | EXIF fields cleared |
| Camera information | Camera make and model present | Camera make and model removed |
| Timestamps | 2026:11:01 18:00:00 | Capture time removed |
| Provenance / C2PA | JUMBF APP11 and a C2PA container | No C2PA or JUMBF container |
| Recompression / resize | 378,066 bytes, with location and the metadata above | 361,097 bytes; metadata removed, image scans unchanged |
GPS / location
The viewer read 35 deg 0' 0.00" N, 135 deg 0' 0.00" E. The cleaned file had no GPS.
EXIF
The viewer read a camera make, a model, and the capture time 2026:11:01 18:00:00. The cleaned file had no EXIF.
Test environment
Chrome 156.0.8078.47 and ExifTool 12.76. The file stayed on this device. Nothing was uploaded.
How to test your own file
- Record client (app vs web).
- Upload, download, hash, inspect.
Methodology
Every published result has to follow the same protocol: a known source file, a recorded hash, a specific upload path, and a downloaded copy. Folklore does not count.
Privacy implications
Sanitize before a public subreddit post if the image could include GPS or camera serials.