Cybersecurity
Why You Need to Think Twice Before Using Lensa AI and Other Self-Portrait Apps
It is a common theme. You begin seeing amazing AI-generated images of your friends on social media and wonder how to make one. Filters and self-portrait apps have come a long way.
It is a common theme. You begin seeing amazing AI-generated images of your friends on social media and wonder how to make one. Filters and self-portrait apps have come a long way. You can now make yourself look like a character in the next hit animated film. It still kind of looks like you, only a stylized version with idealized features.
The latest of these modern vanity apps to make the rounds is Lensa AI. You upload about ten photos so the app can feed that data into its AI algorithm. Once it maps your facial features, it generates several fantasy selfies of you. But these magical avatars are not free. While you can download the app for free and use it in a limited fashion, accessing more features requires payment. Pricing ranges from $3.99 for an avatar pack to $35.99 for full membership.
It sounds like harmless digital fun, and that is exactly what many companies making apps like this want you to think. Vanity is an easy sell, and who does not want a fabulous profile picture? But for Lensa AI and similar self-portrait apps, you are paying more than you realize. The real cost comes from the data privacy rights you give up, and these can go far beyond the app itself.
Why Worry About Data Privacy with Self-Portrait Apps?
Thanks to laws like GDPR, software and app developers are required to disclose what they do with your data. Looking at Lensa AI in the app store reveals a few alarming things.
Data Used to Track You. Once you download the Lensa AI app, it can track your phone activity. The app may use purchases and unique identifiers to track you not just within the app, but across websites and apps owned by other companies.
Data Collected. Lensa AI collects a significant amount of data from your device. By downloading it, you permit this collection. Some data is linked directly to you personally, such as your name, IP address, or phone number. Other data is collected without a personal identifier attached. Data collected and linked to you includes user content such as the images you upload. Data collected but not linked to you includes purchases you make on websites or apps, usage data, identifiers such as city or gender, and device diagnostics.
Loss of Rights to Your Uploaded Images. What apps like Lensa AI do with your data is a grey area. One section from the Lensa AI Terms that users agree to states the following: solely for the purposes of operating or improving Lensa, you grant us a time-limited, revocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable, sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, create derivative works of your User Content, without any additional compensation to you. The phrase for the purposes of operating could mean anything, including using your images to generate revenue. The agreement also grants the company the right to modify and distribute your user content.
Things You Can Do to Protect Your Data Privacy.
Do Not Immediately Jump on Every Trend. This can be hard when you see all your friends using a new app, but try waiting a week. In most cases, the novelty will have faded and the privacy risks remain.
Read App Terms and Conditions. Take the time to read an app's terms before downloading. You are often giving up more data privacy rights than you realize, including giving the app the ability to track much of what you do on your device.
Restrict Data Collection. If you do decide to use an app, make it as secure as possible by restricting its data collection features where possible. Use your phone's privacy and security settings to limit data sharing. For the Lensa AI app, you can also contact the company to request deletion of your data from its servers.
Get a Device Privacy Checkup.
The more apps you use, the more complicated data privacy becomes. The team at Cyber One Solutions can help you understand what data you are sharing and how to better protect your privacy. Contact us today to schedule a device privacy checkup.