Stripping EXIF metadata from image uploads in a Metronic project

I'm working on a Metronic-based web app where users upload photos (avatars and a small gallery). Before those files are stored or rendered, I want to strip EXIF and other metadata so things like GPS location and camera details are not kept with the image.

Has anyone done this alongside the Metronic upload components? I'm weighing a client-side pass before the form submits versus stripping the file on the server once it arrives (PHP/Laravel in our case). Curious what has been reliable for you, especially with large phone photos.

I wrote up a short explainer of what typical exif data contains and why it is worth removing: exif data. If you have a pattern that fits a Metronic + Laravel setup, I would like to hear it.