Can the photos/videos I deleted a year ago can still be on my iPhone or on the internet?

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Level 1

8 points

Can the photos/videos I deleted a year ago can still be on my iPhone or on the internet?

Hi all,

I have been getting paranoid lately and decided to ask for your insight on this issue. A year ago, I took photos of some personal information (cc, passport, etc), and deleted them a month after, along with some videos that reveal my face and sound. A couple of months ago my phone was stolen and ever since I am not able to get a good sleep as I am concerned about identity theft, or even social engineering that may occur in the future due to my losing my phone.

Here are some questions I would be very happy if you could answer;

I know there are certain forensic tools that can recover data from iPhones, can they recover the data that was deleted from the phone more than a year ago? Like photos and videos. I'm worried a criminal would use the phone (Find My iPhone wasn't working, so I couldn't blacklist the IMEI, meaning the phone can be used and sold) and get caught after committing a crime, and law-enforcement find my ID in there when they dig it up, I know it sounds like paranoia, but know it's a possibility. Flash memory, and data pointers make it possible.
Once a photo/video uploaded to iCloud or Google Photos, does it stay in their servers forever even after I deleted it from the trash, like does consumer content ever completely erased? If no, should I be worried about them getting hacked? It's been more than a year since I deleted that personally-identifiable content.
What advice would you give to continue my life being not worried about such things? It is definitely affecting my daily life.

Thank you all!

iPhone 7

Posted on May 1, 2020 9:22 AM

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Answer 1

Androish

Level 8

39,559 points

May 1, 2020 9:38 AM in response to Elrdea321

If it was more than a year I can say that I am 100% sure you are good.

While forensically you can try and get data out of an iPhone.

Its even hard to get out something you never deleted. It is encrypted with your passcode.

And when it has been over a year the data has probably been written over even more than once.

And when it comes to iCloud or Google photos.

You as a user at least cannot get a hold of anything you deleted after a month or so even if you wanted to.

We as users can't do anything but trust that they do delete it.

But for sure any hackers would not get it.

I see that you can't use FMIP, but if you have the IMEI and the proof of purchase you shuld report it as stolen to local law enforcement, they may be able to IMEI block it. So cellular service will be blocked.

But even if you can't police won't charge you for anything just because you used to use the phone.

So bottom line. Don't worry about it.

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Answer 2

Androish

Level 8

39,559 points

May 1, 2020 9:46 AM in response to Elrdea321

Technically if the app has read permissions it can read your photos and upload to their servers.

But the backlash to Facebook and Instagram(well they are both Facebook) would be huge if anyone found out they did so without your knowlege.

So a picture you shared to facebook, yes, Any random other picture in your gallery No.

So I dont think they would. They get enough private info people willingly give them :)

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Answer 3

Elrdea321 Author

Level 1

8 points

May 1, 2020 9:44 AM in response to Androish

Thank you Androish,

I have one more question about this issue. We basically give access to certain apps like Instagram, Facebook etc access our galleries. Can apps like them keep a copy the gallery in their servers? We do give them read and write permissions.

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Can the photos/videos I deleted a year ago can still be on my iPhone or on the internet?

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