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What is metadata?

Metadata is "data about data" or "information about information" that is embedded in computer files, usually automatically. Metadata is used to describe, identify, categorize, and sort files.

However, metadata can also be used to deanonymize users and expose private information.

Examples of metadata include:

The location where a photo was taken

The date and time a photo was taken

The model and serial number of the camera used to take a photo

The author of the document

Changes to the document

To learn more about how metadata can be used to identify and reveal personal information, see [Behind the Data: Investigating metadata](https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/guides/behind-the-data-metadata-investigations/).

Removing metadata using *Metadata Cleaner*

Tails includes [*Metadata Cleaner*](https://gitlab.com/rmnvgr/metadata-cleaner) so you can remove metadata from files before you publish or share them.

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*Metadata Cleaner* works on many file formats, including:

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<p>You should remove metadata on any files before you embed them into another
document.</p>

Open a *Terminal*.