Picsafeimages without risk: a guide to photos and privacy

An independent guide to handling images safely. It is not a photo hosting site or a service, does not store files and is not connected with the former website on this domain.

Reference

Reference

This glossary brings together the terms you need to make sense of camera settings, file properties and licence terms. They are split into three groups: the file itself, privacy and rights. The definitions are deliberately simple: they are meant to help you understand settings and terms, not to pass an exam.

Half of all misunderstandings with pictures start with an unfamiliar word in the settings. Once you understand it, the right choice becomes obvious.

— Editor's view

File

Format
The way an image is stored in a file. The format determines how the data is compressed, whether transparency or animation is supported and which programs can open the picture.
Lossy compression
Reducing file size by discarding some detail that the eye barely notices. This is how JPEG works; quality can drop each time the file is saved again.
Lossless compression
Reducing file size in a way that lets the image be restored exactly. This is how PNG works, which is why it suits text, diagrams and drawings with sharp lines.
Resolution
The size of an image in pixels across its width and height. The higher it is, the more detail and the larger the file; a screen usually needs less than a print.
Palette
The set of colours an image is limited to. A GIF palette has no more than 256 colours, so photos in this format look simplified.

Privacy

Metadata
Information about a file stored alongside the image itself: when and with what it was taken, who edited it and sometimes where. It is not visible in the picture, but any recipient can read it.
EXIF
A widely used metadata standard for photos. It records the camera model, the date and time of the shot and the shot settings, and, if location is enabled, the GPS coordinates.
Geotag
The coordinates of where a photo was taken, recorded in the file or attached to a post. They point to a spot on a map, so for home photos it is usually better to remove them.
Link access
A setting in which a file or album opens for anyone who has the address. It is convenient, but links are easy to forward, and then who sees it is no longer your decision.

Rights

Copyright
The author's rights to a work they have created. Under Russian law (Article 1259 of the Russian Civil Code) photographs are such works, so using one without permission may break the law. Rules differ in other countries, so check local law.
Exclusive right
The right to decide how a work is used: copied, published or adapted. Under Russian law (Article 1281 of the Russian Civil Code) it generally lasts for the author's life plus 70 years; terms differ elsewhere.
Licence
Permission from the rights holder to use a work on certain terms. Free licences allow a lot, but they usually require crediting the author and observing the stated restrictions.
Making public
The act by which a work or an image first becomes available to a wide audience. Under Russian law (Article 152.1 of the Russian Civil Code), a person's image generally requires their consent, with exceptions set by law.

Where these terms come up

  • Guides

    How to share family photos safely: preparation, steps with hypothetical examples, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers about geotags, image quality, formats, copyright and photos of other people.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: checking a photo before posting, photos of children and a home archive without losses.

  • Formats (in Russian)

    A note about the old address and a comparison of JPEG, PNG, GIF and WebP, with steps to prepare an image for sending.

  • Metadata (in Russian)

    A note about the old address and a primer on metadata: what a photo file reveals about the shot and how to remove it.

  • Others' images (in Russian)

    A note about the old address and a look at when you may use someone else's image and when it is better to pass.

  • Questions

    Short answers about geotags, image quality, formats, copyright and photos of other people.

  • Guides

    How to share family photos safely: preparation, steps with hypothetical examples, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Sections

    The guide's four topics: photo privacy, file formats and size, image rights and keeping a photo archive.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: checking a photo before posting, photos of children and a home archive without losses.

Sources

  • EXIF metadata format specification (general provisions)
  • Descriptions of the JPEG, PNG and GIF image formats
  • Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Articles 152.1, 1259 and 1281

This information is a general overview as of the date it was prepared. Devices and software are updated, so the names of settings and menu items on yours may look different. Legal information is given for general guidance only: if a dispute arises, it is best to consult a lawyer.