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[syndromeofadown]

When audio is purchased from itunes there is data stored in the file including the purchaser's name and email.
I don't like this. There is a fairly simple way to strip the ALL data/tags, then add back the fields that are actually wanted. This is annoying though. Maybe JRiver could consider a new feature to strip unnecessary fields from audio files for the sake of privacy and convenience. Aside from itunes sneaky tactics I have noticed a plethora of other useless fields throughout my library that I would also be happy to get rid of.

Please consider.
Thanks.

[~OHM~]

I use a free app called MP3Tag it's easy to use and works flawlessly!

[syndromeofadown]

I use a free app called MP3Tag it's easy to use and works flawlessly!

It doesn't, and it can't,  remove all itune's personal data from m4a, and it doesn't have an option to clean all the junk fields out.

[syndromeofadown]

"Remove Tags" in MC appears to get rid of the itunes tags, but also all wanted tags at the same time. I have tried many tagging programs and in them "Remove Tags" doesn't actually remove all of the tags.

[Bill Kearney]

I don't have any m4a files to test it (as I despise Apple, entirely) but MC's tag editor is pretty robust.  You can blanket-edit whole ranges of tracks with it.  Do the tags in question show up in a columnar view in MC?  If so, some clever filtering to isolate just the m4a files that have a value in the field would narrow the list.  Then use the tag editor to delete the contents of that tag.

[Awesome Donkey]

I remember removing/changing the name and stuff added in the AAC files I bought from the iTunes Store YEARS ago manually with a hex editor.

[syndromeofadown]

Do the tags in question show up in a columnar view in MC?

No. I tried adding fields to MC to get them to show up but had no luck.

The main ones, out of many, that I want cleaned are:
apID
ownr
purd

It looks like MC's "Remove Tags" feature cleans them up.
I'd like to request that an option gets added to Remove Tags that allows users to exclude certain fields.
For example I would like to Remove tags on my entire music library except for the following:
Artist, Album Artist, Album, Date, Track #, Name.

[~OHM~]

your asking for a very dangerous option!

[syndromeofadown]

your asking for a very dangerous option!

Kind of, but it's already there. I can wipe all tags from my entire library with the click of a button.

[Bill Kearney]

Apparently Apple embeds that crap into more than just the 'file' tags.  There are various tools to remove them out there.

https://www.ghacks.net/2009/02/25/how-to-anonymize-itunes-songs/

This script looks to be an interesting one:

https://gist.github.com/torque/4361328

Atomic Parsley has long been useful for this and various other mpeg-based media formats.

http://atomicparsley.sourceforge.net/

[syndromeofadown]

Thanks for links Bill Kearney. Here is another one that looks interesting:
https://gist.github.com/davidzou2131/aca97ac6a9d5ee01f3362529e6799b58

This script losslessly remuxes the mp4 (m4a) into a new mp4 container.

I may give it a try when I have some time. Likely not soon. If it works I can write a up a guide.

Even though it doesn't get all personal info out, I still think my previous feature request is a good idea.

I'd like to request that an option gets added to Remove Tags that allows users to exclude certain fields.

[JimH]

Just a word of advice.  You're in an area that may be a legal problem.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but it may be covered by the DMCA, if Apple can be considered to be "protecting" their files.

[Bill Kearney]

Just a word of advice.  You're in an area that may be a legal problem.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but it may be covered by the DMCA, if Apple can be considered to be "protecting" their files.

Thus another reason I prefer not to do business with companies that behave that way.  I get it, there's costs associated with producing material.  And all the people involved in the production/distribution of it deserve compensation.  To what amount, and by what egregious percentages, is another matter. 

[syndromeofadown]

Just a word of advice.  You're in an area that may be a legal problem.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but it may be covered by the DMCA, if Apple can be considered to be "protecting" their files.

Thanks Jim. I will research this. I wasn't aware of how deep the embedded personal information went when I started this topic. I just wanted to clean up some tags I have no use for.

From my current understanding of Canadian Copyright Act there is no issue with removing tags from purchased audio. There is no civil or criminal infringement, no commercial advantage or private financial gain, no distribution, no losses to the copyright owner.

We do have very restrictive digital lock rules
Digital lock is:

    any effective technology, device or component that controls access to a work (“access control”), and
    any effective technology, device or component that restricts one from exercising the exclusive rights of a copyright owner or remuneration rights, i.e. that control the reproduction or copying of a work (“copying control”).

Digital locks don't seam to apply to this situation either. They would however apply to pre 2009 DRM'd itunes music files.
They were allowed to be unlocked prior to 2012.
In the 5 years of having digital locks rules there has only been one case. Nintendo just sued a man for selling mod chips.
Again, I'm no expert and I will research further.

Thus another reason I prefer not to do business with companies that behave that way.

The only thing I buy from itunes are exclusives, maybe 2 albums a year. I feel like I'm being punished for purchasing from them.
I still buy CDs most of the time, I feel punished for buying them too. I typically receive them 3 weeks after their release date.

[Bill Kearney]

I'd imagine the legal arguments are perhaps more of a concern for the publisher of a tool, than an end-user/customer.  Not that I'm suggesting you break the licensing agreements foisted on you.  Me, I know better than to get mired in that kind of nonsense and skip Apple as a source entirely.

Providing functionality that invites the hostility from a demonstrably litigious company (aka Apple) is probably not something any small software vendor wants to invite.  Whether doing so is legal or not doesn't matter as much as the depth of your pockets to defend it.  No doubt they'd prefer to spend money elsewhere. 

One 'thought experiment' that comes to mind... get two copies of the purchased tracks from separate accounts.  Use the scripts to remove the offending tags.  Then go an do a file comparison to see if the tracks differ.  I'm guessing they might.  As in, there's likely other purchaser-identifying info buried elsewhere in the media too.

[syndromeofadown]

I found time to get my library cleaned up. Python, avconv, AtomicParsley, and some trial and error took care of the m4a's. mp3tag took care of all other fields using "Actions" and "Remove fields except". I also had a handful of FLACs that had FLAC tags as well as id3v2 tags. Having both tags makes the FLAC files incompatible with android. They were fixed by using mp3tag to remove tags, then undo, then save. It's very nice to have all the junk tags gone, and complete compatibly with all of of my devices. It's worth noting that doing this is a good way to screw up one's entire collection. I backed up first and tested on small batches of files.

[SiggiX]

There is a new freemium muti-tool for windows called AudioZip, available on https://audiozip.net,
which shows always all frames inside mp4/m4a-files and many others.
The personal data can be easily removed there.
It’s a complete music manager software!

[syndromeofadown]

Shortly after my last post in this thread in 2018 I discovered Foobar had a plugin called Tag Sanitizer. I think it is now built in. It works by having you make a list of fields to NOT delete, then it clears everything remaining. It is exactly what i was looking for. I run all of my audio through it before importing into MC.