A conservative rule
Assume a public feed JPEG is not your camera original. Assume a “document” or “original quality” send might still carry GPS. Confirm on the file you are about to hand over, not on a remembered chart.
Platform behavior changes with app versions. If a sentence here names an app, read it as a pattern, not a warranty.
Patterns that keep showing up
- In-app cameras often produce a different file than the camera roll original.
- Send-as-file / document / original-quality is the preservation path.
- Link previews and screenshots are new objects.
- AI labels on a post may ignore the file’s C2PA entirely.
What to do anyway
For anything you would not pin on a map, inspect and export a sharing copy first. Tool: Metadata Cleaner. Scenario notes live on the blog, because they go stale faster than these definitions.
Common questions
Does WhatsApp strip GPS?
Compressed chat images often differ from HD / document sends. Check the outbound file. See the WhatsApp HD note on the blog.