Bengaluru: Vintage-style posters and retro photographs inspired by the 1980s have taken social media by storm, with users turning their pictures into AI-generated images featuring bell-bottom trousers, classic hairstyles and old-film aesthetics.
The trend has gained traction across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp over the past few days. Users are uploading their photographs to AI-based applications and transforming them into images that resemble photographs or movie posters from the 1980s.
However, cyber experts have urged people to exercise caution before participating in the viral trend, warning that uploading original photographs to unknown AI platforms could expose personal data and create opportunities for misuse.
Experts raise concerns over photo uploads
AI-powered image-generation trends have become increasingly popular on social media, with users experimenting with different styles and eras. The latest 80s trend allows people to recreate the visual appearance of vintage photographs without the need for professional photography or costumes.
While the results may appear harmless and entertaining, cyber experts have questioned how securely the photographs uploaded to such applications are handled.
Experts have warned users against blindly uploading their original photographs to unfamiliar AI applications simply to participate in a social media trend. They said users could unknowingly provide platforms with valuable facial and personal data.
Risk of misuse of facial data
According to cyber experts, photographs contain more information than just a person’s appearance. Clear, high-resolution photographs can provide facial data that may potentially be exploited for different purposes.
There are concerns that images uploaded to applications without clearly understood privacy policies could be stored, processed or shared in ways users may not anticipate.
Experts have particularly advised young women to exercise caution before uploading their photographs to AI-based applications. They warned that photographs could potentially be misused or manipulated after being obtained by malicious individuals.
The exposure of facial data also raises concerns about the potential misuse of facial recognition technology. As AI tools become more sophisticated, photographs can potentially be used to create altered or manipulated representations of individuals.
Deepfake threat remains a concern
Cyber experts have also highlighted the possibility of photographs being misused for creating deepfakes.
A clear photograph can provide sufficient visual information for AI-based systems to generate manipulated images or other forms of synthetic content. Such material can then be circulated on social media or other online platforms without the knowledge or consent of the person concerned.
Experts said users should therefore consider the long-term consequences of uploading photographs to applications merely because a particular trend has become popular.
They also cautioned that personal information associated with photographs could potentially be collected and misused. In the worst-case scenario, stolen or illegally obtained data could be circulated through underground online networks.
Users urged not to follow trends blindly
Cyber experts have advised social media users to check the credibility and privacy practices of an AI application before uploading photographs.
Users should avoid providing original, high-resolution photographs to unfamiliar platforms and should carefully examine what permissions an application requests. They should also avoid uploading photographs containing additional personal information, such as identity documents, addresses or other sensitive details.
Experts stressed that the popularity of a social media trend should not be treated as proof that an application is safe.
The viral 80s photo trend may offer users an entertaining way to experiment with AI-generated images, but experts have urged people to prioritise privacy and digital security over the excitement of joining a trend.
As AI-generated images become increasingly common, users are being encouraged to think carefully about where their photographs are uploaded, how the data may be processed and what could happen to the images after they leave the user’s device.