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Geotagging

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Geotagging, a digital procedure, involves the integration of geographical data into various forms of media such as pictures or videos via metadata. This location-centric information may encompass details like coordinates of latitude and longitude, or even the names of places. Its usage is widespread, especially on social media platforms like Instagram[1] and Facebook[2], where it facilitates location sharing and finding friends in close proximity. In multimedia contexts, it augments the data associated with images. The techniques utilized for geotagging differ based on the data type, with methods ranging from the use of pixel coordinates to metadata. However, this process also carries certain privacy and security risks. Despite these potential hazards, geotagging significantly enhances search result precision, enables location-based services, and aids in the organization of geographically structured data among other applications.

Terms definitions
1. Instagram ( Instagram ) Instagram, a renowned social media platform, was initially launched in 2010 by innovators Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It originated as a check-in app known as Burbn, but later transitioned into a photo-sharing application, hence the name Instagram. The platform is globally acclaimed for its ability to share photos and videos, augmented by features such as hashtags, stories, and private messaging. Over the years, Instagram has seen substantial growth and transformation, broadening its reach to various operating systems and consistently integrating new tools and features. These additions encompass IGTV, Reels, and improvements to live streaming, all aimed at enriching the user experience. Instagram also prioritizes user safety, enforcing child protection policies and privacy safeguards. It has emerged as a crucial component in digital marketing, with advertising campaigns and influencer collaboration tactics.
2. Facebook ( Facebook ) Meta Platforms, previously known as Facebook, is a prominent internet corporation that originated as a social networking site. The brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, Meta Platforms swiftly spread from Harvard to other educational institutions, eventually reaching the wider public and becoming a global sensation. Its appealing user interface and diverse features such as Groups, the Developer Platform, and Meta Platforms Dating are well-known. Despite encountering backlash over matters like privacy violations and the proliferation of misinformation, Meta Platforms continues to hold a strong position in the digital sphere. It has made remarkable progress in the realm of technology, including the creation of its distinctive data storage system, the employment of PHP for its platform, and the introduction of the Hack programming language. In the past few years, the company has pivoted its attention towards the metaverse, a virtual reality domain where users can engage with a digitally-created environment.
Geotagging (Wikipedia)

Geotagging, or GeoTagging, is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as a geotagged photograph or video, websites, SMS messages, QR Codes or RSS feeds and is a form of geospatial metadata. This data usually consists of latitude and longitude coordinates, though they can also include altitude, bearing, distance, accuracy data, and place names, and perhaps a time stamp.

Geotag information in a JPEG photo, shown by the software gThumb
Geotag information stamped onto a JPEG photo by the software GPStamper
Geotagger "Solmeta N2" for the Nikon D5000 DSLR

Geotagging can help users find a wide variety of location-specific information from a device. For instance, someone can find images taken near a given location by entering latitude and longitude coordinates into a suitable image search engine. Geotagging-enabled information services can also potentially be used to find location-based news, websites, or other resources. Geotagging can tell users the location of the content of a given picture or other media or the point of view, and conversely on some media platforms show media relevant to a given location.

The geographical location data used in geotagging can, in almost every case, be derived from the global positioning system, and based on a latitude/longitude-coordinate system that presents each location on the earth from 180° west through 180° east along the Equator and 90° north through 90° south along the prime meridian.[citation needed]

The related term geocoding refers to the process of taking non-coordinate-based geographical identifiers, such as a street address, and finding associated geographic coordinates (or vice versa for reverse geocoding). Such techniques can be used together with geotagging to provide alternative search techniques.[citation needed]

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