Privacy
What is metadata, and why remove it?
Most photos carry information beyond the pixels you see. A typical smartphone photo can include the exact GPS coordinates of where it was taken, the make and model of the device, the date and time down to the second, and sometimes the software used to edit it.
None of this is visible when you look at the file, but it travels with it whenever you upload, message, or publish it. Removing it before sharing means the file itself doesn’t disclose more than you intend to.
What happens when you upload a file
- Your file is sent to MetaClean’s server over an HTTPS connection in production.
- Images are processed in memory for the duration of the request and are not written to disk or kept afterward.
- The cleaned result is sent back to your browser in the same request — it is not queued, emailed, or held for later pickup.
- MetaClean does not permanently store uploaded files, cleaned files, or the metadata read from them.
- MetaClean does not require an account, so no name, email address, or password is collected to use the core product.
MetaClean cannot make absolute guarantees about infrastructure it does not control, such as a hosting provider’s own request logs. Standard web server and hosting logs (for example, IP address and timestamp of requests) may be retained briefly by the hosting provider for operational and security purposes, consistent with typical web hosting practice.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 2026.
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy describes how MetaClean (“MetaClean”, “we”, “the service”) handles information when you use the website and file-cleaning tool.
2. Information processed
MetaClean processes the file you choose to upload, and the metadata contained in that file, for the sole purpose of removing that metadata and returning a cleaned copy to you.
3. Uploaded files
Uploaded files are transmitted to MetaClean’s server to be processed. They are not reviewed by any person, used for any purpose other than metadata removal, or shared with third parties.
4. Metadata processing
Metadata fields read from your file (such as camera details or location tags) are used only to display a summary of what was found and removed. This summary is generated per-request and is not stored after the response is sent to your browser.
5. Temporary file handling
Depending on file type, processing may involve writing a file to short-lived temporary storage on the server. Temporary files are deleted as soon as processing for that request completes, including when an error occurs.
6. Downloaded files
The cleaned file is returned directly in the response to your upload request and downloaded by your browser. MetaClean does not keep a copy after the response is sent.
7. Cookies
MetaClean does not use cookies for advertising or tracking. Any cookie strictly required for basic site function (if any) does not identify you personally.
8. Analytics
MetaClean may use privacy-conscious, aggregate analytics to understand overall usage (such as page views), which does not include the content of uploaded files. If analytics tooling is added or changed, this policy will be updated accordingly.
9. Abuse prevention
To keep the service usable for everyone, MetaClean limits how many files a single visitor can process in a short window of time. This check uses the request’s IP address transiently, in memory, to count recent requests; it is not logged, stored alongside your files, or used for any other purpose. If a rate-limiting provider is configured for this deployment, that provider processes the same IP address under its own privacy terms for the same narrow purpose.
10. Third-party services
MetaClean relies on a hosting provider to run the application. That provider may process standard connection data (such as IP address) as part of operating its infrastructure, under its own privacy terms.
11. Hosting
MetaClean is designed to run on Vercel’s hosting platform. Requests may pass through Vercel’s edge network before reaching the application.
12. Security
Before processing, MetaClean checks a file’s declared type, its filename extension, and its actual content signature against each other, rather than trusting any one of those on its own. File size is checked against a fixed limit, user-supplied filenames are never used as on-disk paths, a short-window request limit applies per visitor, and the service sends standard hardening headers (including a Content-Security-Policy) and expects to run over HTTPS in production. No system is completely secure, and MetaClean cannot guarantee absolute security.
13. Data retention
Uploaded files, cleaned files, and derived metadata summaries are not retained beyond the request that produced them. Hosting-provider-level connection logs, where they exist, are retained only as long as that provider’s own policies specify.
14. Children’s privacy
MetaClean is not directed at children and does not knowingly collect personal information from children.
15. User rights
Because MetaClean does not create accounts or retain uploaded content, there is generally no stored personal data to access, correct, or delete. If you have a specific concern, contact us using the details below.
16. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated as the product changes. Material changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date.
17. Contact
Questions about this policy can be sent to aqibamin0099@gmail.com.