Web Photos That Reveal Secrets, Like Where You Live

This is a pretty fascinating angle on the whole online privacy issue. Most of the focus is on potential misuse, primarily burglary. Conceptually, it reminds me of Bruce Schneier's idea of a "data shadow" that follows people through their lives. Schneier writes specifically about banking data, corporate aggregations, etc. and the need for people to "take back their data."

http://www.schneier.com/essay-219.html

However, the article brings up the point that a significant portion isn't our's to retake:

Protecting your privacy is not just a matter of being aware and personally responsible, said Mr. Sommer, the researcher. A friend may take a geotagged photo at your house and post it.

“You need to educate yourself and your friends but in the end, you really have no control,” he said, adding that he was considering writing a program to troll the Internet for photos with geotags corresponding to users’ home addresses.

Given that this is in some degree out of anyone's ability to control, how can people use this data shadow to their own advantage? For example, who needs an ID card if you have a large number of photos from across a large number of people who all agree that you are who you say you are?

Warning! Pictures contain EXIF data. Camera phones frequently geo tag photos.

In other news, your computer broadcasts an IP address.