Images · 3 synthetic files
Does cleanup change the picture?
JPG, PNG and WebP downloads retained identical decoded pixels in this test. Inspect the metadata counts, original files and output hashes.
Tested .
BeforeShare · Metadata Research Lab
See what metadata cleanup changes.
Download our test files, compare the measured results, and repeat the checks. Start with our own experiments, then explore the source guides on sharing and AI provenance.
Published by TuliAI, publisher of BeforeShare. Report a correction.
Measured by BeforeShare
Start with a test you can repeat
These are controlled tests of the files and versions described. They do not certify every file or platform.
PDF + Word · 2 synthetic files
What personal information stays?
Author properties were removed, but a name on the page and a PDF annotation remained. Download both copies and the independent document verifier.
Tested .
Comparison · Same planted metadata
How did 5 tools handle the same files?
Our comparison records what each tested tool accepted, which planted fields remained and whether the photo’s pixels changed. Untested products are identified separately.
Tested .
Source guides · 7 questions
What other sources say about sharing
These guides interpret official documentation, standards and independent research. We did not run the platform tests they cite. Latest source review: .
01Moderate confidence
Messaging apps
Does WhatsApp remove photo metadata?
A 2025 independent study found that WhatsApp image-mode transfers removed the tested EXIF fields, while sending the same images as documents preserved their metadata and file hashes. Treat that result as mode- and version-specific, not as a permanent WhatsApp privacy guarantee.
VerdictPhoto mode usually strips it; document mode can preserve it
02Moderate confidence
Social platforms
Does Instagram remove EXIF metadata?
A 2025 independent study found that Instagram uploads were re-encoded and the tested critical EXIF fields were removed from the resulting image. That is useful evidence about the published copy, but it is not proof that Instagram collected no location, account, device, or upload metadata separately.
VerdictThe published image is typically re-encoded and stripped of critical EXIF
03High confidence
Does email preserve photo metadata?
Yes—when a photo is attached as a file, email normally transports the file data rather than sanitizing it. MIME specifies reversible transfer encodings, and a 2025 controlled study found identical hashes and complete tested EXIF retention for email attachments. Photo-app resize options can be an exception.
VerdictA normal file attachment usually preserves the original file data
04High confidence
Apple sharing
Does AirDrop share photo location metadata?
Yes. Apple’s current iPhone guide says sharing a photo includes associated metadata such as date, time, location, device, and captions. The share-sheet Options screen lets you turn Location off; enabling All Photos Data for AirDrop sends the original file with edit history and metadata.
VerdictYes, unless you turn Location off before sharing
05Moderate confidence
Cloud storage
Does Google Drive remove file metadata?
Do not rely on Google Drive to remove embedded metadata. Google’s current help documents uploading, sharing, downloading, versions, and file conversion as separate actions; it does not describe link sharing as a metadata sanitizer. The conservative privacy assumption is that a downloaded uploaded file can retain its embedded metadata.
VerdictNo sanitization guarantee—treat uploaded file metadata as preserved
06High confidence
AI provenance
Which AI tools watermark their content?
OpenAI, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, and Meta document provenance signals for at least some generated media, but they do not all use the same mechanism. C2PA is an open metadata standard; SynthID and Amazon watermarks need compatible provider detection. Anthropic says Claude currently produces text and text-to-speech output and does not claim an equivalent deployed watermark.
VerdictWatermarking is growing, but detection remains signal- and provider-specific
07High confidence
AI regulation
What laws require AI watermarks or labels?
The EU AI Act Article 50 marking and detection obligations apply from 2 August 2026, with separate disclosure duties for deepfakes and certain public-interest text. China’s explicit and implicit AI-content labelling measures have applied since 1 September 2025. In the United States, California’s AI Transparency Act has applied since 2 August 2026 to large generative AI providers, with duties for large platforms from 1 January 2027 and for camera and phone makers from 1 January 2028; there is still no general federal watermark mandate.
VerdictThe EU, China and California have operative marking duties; US federal law has none
How to read the lab
Evidence first. Certainty earned.
Our experiments publish the inputs, dated measurements and repeatable checks. The source guides below them identify other people’s work and separate documented facts from conservative inferences. Send corrections through our contact page.
- 01Official documentation
Product-owner instructions or disclosures. Best for current controls and declared behavior.
- 02Technical standard
A protocol specification. Best for what a format or transport is designed to do.
- 03Independent research
Third-party controlled testing. Useful evidence, always bounded by its dataset, versions, and method.
- 04Your file is the final check
Platforms change. Inspect the exact recipient-facing copy when the answer matters.
From answer to action
Don’t trust the route. Verify the file.
Inspect the hidden fields first, then create a cleaned share copy locally in your browser.