# \#geoprivacy **URL:** https://forum.inaturalist.org/tag/geoprivacy/15.md [Latest](https://forum.inaturalist.org/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.inaturalist.org/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.inaturalist.org/tags.md) --- ## [Geoprivacy bypass: orphaned photos render GPS metadata when all associated observations are removed](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-bypass-orphaned-photos-render-gps-metadata-when-all-associated-observations-are-removed/86771)
**Author:** [@mrtnlowr](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/mrtnlowr)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [October 15, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-bypass-orphaned-photos-render-gps-metadata-when-all-associated-observations-are-removed/86771 "2026-10-15T21:24:12Z")
Platform: Website App version number, if a mobile app issue: Browser, if a website issue: URLs (aka web addresses) of any relevant observations or pages: Screenshots of what you are seeing Description of problem A p… --- ## [How to adjust geolocation privacy settings?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-adjust-geolocation-privacy-settings/79082)
**Author:** [@capsicum24](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/capsicum24)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-adjust-geolocation-privacy-settings/79082 "2026-05-17T12:02:29Z")
Sorry if this is discussed before but i couldn’t find it so links would be helpful! I’m a casual user and almost all my sightings come from the back garden. But seek has set the default to precise location rather than … --- ## [Obscured/private observation viewer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-private-observation-viewer/76396)
**Author:** [@jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jwidness)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-private-observation-viewer/76396 "2026-05-06T16:44:02Z")
Continuing the discussion from View true locations on maps for observations with trusted hidden coordinates Here is a link to a tool I vibe-coded, allowing you to view the true locations for up to 10,000 observations at… --- ## [iNat alledged as source of deadly mushrooms in Australian triple murder trial](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/inat-alledged-as-source-of-deadly-mushrooms-in-australian-triple-murder-trial/64622)
**Author:** [@amberbc](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/amberbc)\ **Replies:** 125\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/inat-alledged-as-source-of-deadly-mushrooms-in-australian-triple-murder-trial/64622 "2026-04-10T00:35:37Z")
In the Australia’s mushroom murders trial, prosecutors alledge iNaturalist was used by Erin Patterson to locate and collect the toxic death cap mushrooms Amanita phalloides which were cooked into a fatal family lunch. Th… --- ## [Understanding the Location Tag](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/understanding-the-location-tag/77375)
**Author:** [@sherlockborealis](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sherlockborealis)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 5, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/understanding-the-location-tag/77375 "2026-04-05T18:59:52Z")
Hi I am trying to understand how location tagging works for observations, firstly sometimes I want to obscure my location, I can select the “Obscure” option but I also noticed that by default the location picker has a la… --- ## [Geoprivacy discussion: Orchidaceae observations in Greece and salep harvesting pressure](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-discussion-orchidaceae-observations-in-greece-and-salep-harvesting-pressure/76486)
**Author:** [@bommerer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bommerer)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [March 10, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-discussion-orchidaceae-observations-in-greece-and-salep-harvesting-pressure/76486 "2026-03-10T13:13:39Z")
A question has recently been raised on iNaturalist regarding the possible application of obscured coordinates for Orchidaceae observations in Greece, motivated by concerns about illegal harvesting for salep. Several stu… --- ## [Should Europeans stop using iNaturalist because of the possible threats of the current US-Politics? (about data safety)](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/should-europeans-stop-using-inaturalist-because-of-the-possible-threats-of-the-current-us-politics-about-data-safety/74772)
**Author:** [@sebwen](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sebwen)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [January 19, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/should-europeans-stop-using-inaturalist-because-of-the-possible-threats-of-the-current-us-politics-about-data-safety/74772 "2026-01-19T17:36:37Z")
Hi, i’m new to this forum and didn’t find similar topics (only minimising-unwanted-corporate-government-surveillance and safety-of-posting-locations, … but it’s not exactly what i searched for). Reasons why i think it m… --- ## [Geoprivacy: open vs. obscured](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-open-vs-obscured/73879)
**Author:** [@paule\_u](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/paule_u)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2025, 1:53am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-open-vs-obscured/73879 "2025-12-27T01:53:56Z")
Hello dear users, I have searched the forum for some time now, but I couldn’t find any thread that clearly answered this question. I generally upload my observations “obscured” for two reasons: a) a lot of my observatio… --- ## [Clarify geoprivacy terminology and guidance](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/clarify-geoprivacy-terminology-and-guidance/7212)
**Author:** [@jsulzmann](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jsulzmann)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [August 13, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/clarify-geoprivacy-terminology-and-guidance/7212 "2025-08-13T21:07:54Z")
I’ve noticed that observations with the “Location” set to “Private” often come from new users. And for obvious reasons, a lot of them don’t get follow-up IDs. As an identifier, I’ve been trying to be more consistent abou… --- ## [Automate geoprivacy with user-defined geofences](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/automate-geoprivacy-with-user-defined-geofences/700)
**Author:** [@bouteloua](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bouteloua)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [July 20, 2025, 6:09am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/automate-geoprivacy-with-user-defined-geofences/700 "2025-07-20T06:09:54Z")
I’d like to have an automatic privacy zone, e.g. around my home address, friends’, family members’, etc. so that I don’t have to check whether I’ve remembered to mark all my observations every time. There should be an o… --- ## [Select locations and distance (buffer) from which photos are obscured](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/select-locations-and-distance-buffer-from-which-photos-are-obscured/66465)
**Author:** [@Paulbeausoleil](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/Paulbeausoleil)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 16, 2025, 3:27am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/select-locations-and-distance-buffer-from-which-photos-are-obscured/66465 "2025-06-16T03:27:04Z")
Could we select a location and distance (buffer) to certain privates points (house, chalet, etc.) in order for all photos taken in this circle is obscured? Let’s say you want all photos from my house in a radius of 100m… --- ## [Filtering for Observations with 'Location Private'](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/filtering-for-observations-with-location-private/61277)
**Author:** [@That\_Bug\_Guy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/That_Bug_Guy)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 4, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/filtering-for-observations-with-location-private/61277 "2025-02-04T23:54:30Z")
Hello! I was wondering if there was any way for me to find observations with privated locations. Many of these observations go unidentified for a long time and I would like to filter for them specifically so that IDs can… --- ## [Status conservation priority](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/status-conservation-priority/47153)
**Author:** [@KelianG](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/KelianG)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/status-conservation-priority/47153 "2023-11-30T18:22:53Z")
Hi, I feel like status conservation priorities are reverted on iNat and i would like your opinions. Currently higher geographical area status override local status. (such as : world \> continent \> countries \> region) S… --- ## [Geoprivacy options](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-options/44705)
**Author:** [@challenguate](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/challenguate)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [August 31, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-options/44705 "2023-08-31T17:15:08Z")
I’m wondering: What’s the best way to mark location for observations when (1) I don’t want people to know exactly where I am because of poaching, which is common in Guatemala, and (2) I don’t want people to know exactly … --- ## [Option to share the true coordinates of obscured observations when joining a project from the app](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/option-to-share-the-true-coordinates-of-obscured-observations-when-joining-a-project-from-the-app/29992)
**Author:** [@dinobiancolini](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/dinobiancolini)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [June 14, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/option-to-share-the-true-coordinates-of-obscured-observations-when-joining-a-project-from-the-app/29992 "2023-06-14T16:33:50Z")
Platform(s): mobile Description of need: When joining a project from the Android App, the option to share the true coordinates of obscured observation is not available. This can be a huge practical problem for data gat… --- ## [See true coordinates of obscured observations shared with project curators on the app](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/see-true-coordinates-of-obscured-observations-shared-with-project-curators-on-the-app/32782)
**Author:** [@dinobiancolini](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/dinobiancolini)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/see-true-coordinates-of-obscured-observations-shared-with-project-curators-on-the-app/32782 "2022-06-15T16:13:50Z")
Platform Android App version number, if a mobile app issue (shown under Settings or About): 1.26.11 Description of problem I’m not sure if this is a bug, but I cannot see true coordinates of obscured observations fr… --- ## [Default Obscure Account Settings?—iNaturalist User Safety](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/default-obscure-account-settings-inaturalist-user-safety/25272)
**Author:** [@gehrenberg](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/gehrenberg)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [August 7, 2021, 11:29am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/default-obscure-account-settings-inaturalist-user-safety/25272 "2021-08-07T11:29:50Z")
I wanted to ask if there’s an option for obscuring geoprivacy/time/date by default? I’ve read through some of the topics and it seems that the majority of the concerns are about the species being observed, for very valid… --- ## [Criteria for default geo-privacy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/criteria-for-default-geo-privacy/23601)
**Author:** [@curious](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/curious)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/criteria-for-default-geo-privacy/23601 "2021-07-27T21:28:06Z")
I’ve read several threads on the topic of geo-privacy, (the most pertinent one closed, I think, last September) but, so far as I can tell, this issue has not been resolved. I offer a perspective here in reference to rare… --- ## [Seek grabs current location if photo lacks geolocation](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/seek-grabs-current-location-if-photo-lacks-geolocation/5019)
**Author:** [@bouteloua](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bouteloua)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/seek-grabs-current-location-if-photo-lacks-geolocation/5019 "2021-05-23T15:25:45Z")
Samsung S7 / Seek app version 2.2.2 (46). I selected a plant photo from a previous day’s outing in my phone’s gallery and added it to Seek. I then chose to upload it to iNaturalist to try out that feature. A little while… --- ## [Obtaining lists of obscured taxa](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obtaining-lists-of-obscured-taxa/21234)
**Author:** [@susanfawcett](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanfawcett)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obtaining-lists-of-obscured-taxa/21234 "2021-03-21T18:32:14Z")
There is currently a discussion going on among the Consortium of California Herbaria to decide whether or not to obscure localities of sensitive plants, and for which species. I thought that having the list of plant spec… --- ## [Obscured coordinates for at risk species](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-coordinates-for-at-risk-species/19267)
**Author:** [@kgunson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/kgunson)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 5, 2021, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-coordinates-for-at-risk-species/19267 "2021-01-05T22:12:37Z")
I have downloaded my data from a project I am administrator of in iNaturalist. The lat and long are obscured as they should be for at risk species. However the private\_lat and private\_long are also blank empty cells as w… --- ## [Obscured location & County lines](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-location-county-lines/17574)
**Author:** [@becksnyc](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/becksnyc)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 24, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/obscured-location-county-lines/17574 "2020-10-24T21:51:37Z")
Most of my observations are made in my own yard, which I’ve pinned & obscured for privacy reasons. I live near a county line, and about 1/3 of the observations “appear” on the map as in an adjoining county. I belong to… --- ## [Lightly obscure all records on iNaturalist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/lightly-obscure-all-records-on-inaturalist/6959)
**Author:** [@jonhakim](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jonhakim)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [October 25, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/lightly-obscure-all-records-on-inaturalist/6959 "2019-10-25T17:26:36Z")
In my short time on iNaturalist I’ve come across a number of discussions regarding the potential of poaching due to the public nature of iNaturalist locales. I don’t believe poaching is a serious conservation concern for… --- ## [Downloading subset of project data with hidden coordinates?](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/downloading-subset-of-project-data-with-hidden-coordinates/4455)
**Author:** [@repowell](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/repowell)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [August 11, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/downloading-subset-of-project-data-with-hidden-coordinates/4455 "2019-08-11T12:31:33Z")
Apologies if this is a repeat topic but I couldn’t find an answer to this question. I am a curator of a traditional iNaturalist project made up entirely of observations with obscured coordinates. There is an ‘export w/hi…