Metadata and EXIF data –  information and data attached to a photo.

This data can be used to make educated guesses about the sender / poster, and their behaviour.

For example:

1 – time stamps – is this a fresh photo or is it canned? How old is it then, hours or weeks?

If there is no time stamp, the photo could be a screenshot, so why send a screenshot instead of the original?

2 – what was used to take the photo, a camera or phone? What make and model?

3 – is it the original or was the photo edited? What part, and why?

4 – what image number is it? Check against the number of the last photo(s) posted.

5 – is geo-location on or off? Use the coordinates to map it. Confirm they are where they said they are. Can a pattern of movement be determined by mapping the posted photos? What about cross-referencing against the time stamps?

Important to remember – it’s a guide, not an exact science, because EXIF data can be altered, or technical glitches can happen.

This is good way to find patterns, not exact facts.