If this sounds like your week
EXIF is a file format feature that became a privacy footgun.
“FFmpeg extracted frame JPEG metadata differs from parent video” is not about hating metadata; it is about controlling it with tools that match the stakes. Stills pulled for articles sometimes inherit odd tool strings or timestamps that confuse archivists comparing sources.
Where tooling usually breaks
Copy-paste forum advice does not scale to 20,000 frames.
One wrong flag, one missed field, one “it looked fine in Preview” moment is enough.
The invisible payload
Image looks fine in viewer EXIF: GPS, body, lens, software Client sees: the photo Internet sees: the rest MetaForge: strip on disk