In an era where authorities are increasingly using facial recognition technology and metadata to track individuals, protecting identities at protests has become a pressing concern. Whether you're a protester, journalist, or concerned citizen, it's essential to know how to safeguard the faces and personal information of those involved. William Joel, senior creative director for The Verge and Polygon, shares expert tips on how to hide faces and scrub metadata from photos, ensuring that your visual records of protests don't compromise identities.

The importance of obscuring faces cannot be overstated. With the rise of facial recognition technology, authorities can easily identify and track individuals based on their facial features. Moreover, metadata attached to photos can reveal GPS locations, timestamps, and device information, making it even easier to pinpoint individuals. To avoid this, Joel recommends using methods that cannot be reversed, such as painting over faces or using mosaic blur techniques.

Fortunately, you don't need to be a tech expert to protect identities. Both iOS and Android devices offer built-in photo editors that can be used to block out faces. On iOS, the Markup tool can be used to create solid circles or squares to cover faces, while Android's native markup tool allows users to scribble over faces using the Pen tool. Additionally, some devices offer features like the Clean Up tool (iOS) or Magic Eraser (Android) to erase or camouflage faces.

Removing metadata is equally crucial. One simple way to do this is to take screenshots of your photos, which will eliminate metadata and geotagging. When taking screenshots, ensure that you're viewing the photo in fullscreen mode and that there are no notifications or identifying features visible. This method can also be applied to videos by using screen recording features on your device.

For those who prefer to use third-party apps, there are numerous options available. Signal, an encrypted messaging app, offers a face-blurring tool on both iOS and Android. Image Scrubber is a web-based tool that allows users to upload images, blur faces, and scrub metadata, making it accessible on all devices. Other apps like Glitche (iOS), Glitch Lab (Android), and Trigraphy (iOS) offer pixelation and mosaic effects to obscure faces. Photo editing apps like Halide (iOS) and Snapseed (Android) can also be used to remove metadata.

In conclusion, protecting identities at protests requires a combination of technical know-how and caution. By following these expert tips and using the recommended apps, you can ensure that your visual records of protests do not compromise the identities of those involved. Remember, it's always better to err on the side of caution and take the necessary steps to safeguard identities, especially in an era where technology is increasingly being used to monitor and track individuals.

Update: This article was originally published on June 5th, 2020, and has been updated to account for changes in software.