AI-Generated “Digital Action Figures” Raise Privacy and Security Concerns
A growing trend of using artificial intelligence to transform personal photos into digital avatars is prompting warnings from experts about potential risks to privacy, data security, and identity theft. The popularity of these AI services,offered by platforms like Google and others,has surged on social media,but comes with hidden dangers related to how user data is collected,stored,and utilized.
Recent cases highlight the potential consequences of sharing biometric information. Clearview AI, for example, faced legal challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and economic sanctions in various countries between 2022 and 2023 for compiling data from social networks and web pages to identify individuals from photos without explicit consent.
In May 2024, Australian facial recognition company Outabox experienced a massive data breach, exposing photos, identification details, home addresses, signatures, and records of nightclub attendance for thousands of customers, increasing their vulnerability to fraud. Even users generating AI images in styles like Studio Ghibli in 2025 may have unknowingly compromised their data.
The core issue lies in the significant amount of personal data required by these AI services. Information voluntarily provided can be stored indefinitely, reused to train AI models without adequate informed consent, and transferred to third parties with limited transparency. This increases the risk of identity impersonation, digital fraud, and cyberattacks, especially in the absence of robust data protection controls.
While some platforms state images are used solely to improve AI models, privacy policies are often lengthy and complex, making it difficult for users to fully understand the extent of their data rights transfer. This lack of clarity clashes with both local and international data protection regulations.
Experts advise users to carefully review privacy policies and assess the security measures of any AI platform before uploading personal photos to safeguard their identity and sensitive information.
