AI selfie apps have grown in popularity and availability, especially among tweens and teens, but the privacy risks are substantial. This article explains the dangers and free tools parents can use to keep their kids safe.

What Are AI Selfie Apps?

AI-powered selfie apps, such as Lensa AI and FaceApp, use artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition to enhance selfies with beauty filters, animated effects, background replacements, face swaps, and more.

Most of these apps are mobile-only and fit seamlessly into the world of social sharing. This familiarity makes the appeal of these apps second nature since young people are already using similar effects and tools on platforms including Instagram and Snapchat.

AI Selfie App Dangers for Kids

While AI selfie apps can provide hours of entertainment for teens and kids, the safety risks are undeniable and alarming.

Here are some of the most concerning aspects parents and caretakers should be aware of:

• Data collection and sharing: The fine print isn’t always easy to navigate on these apps, obscuring details about the kind of information that’s collected (about device usage or uploaded photos, etc.) and shared with third parties—or used for AI model training.
• Data breach risks: Like any cloud-based service, the risk of hacks and data breaches is always a possibility. For young people, image or personal data could end up in the hands of hackers, increasing the potential for exploitation, bullying, and permanent damage to their online footprints.
• Mental health concerns: The fallout from data breaches and compromised online security is one thing, but the persistent exposure to distorted body image and beauty standards can take a toll on a young person’s developing sense of self and mental well-being.

Ways to Protect Kids From AI Image Misuse

The lack of any or robust parental controls in AI image apps is a significant hurdle, but parents do have some free protective tools at their disposal.

Device-Level Parental Controls

Whether your child has an Android or iPhone, parents can use some built-in settings to restrict access at the device level.

For iPhone families, these controls live under Screen Time settings and Content & Privacy Restrictions, while Android parents can use Google Family Link.

Examples of the precautions parents can take, include:

• Disabling location services, especially for photo and camera apps.
• Screen time settings that limit or deny access to AI selfie apps.
• Blocking in-app purchases.
• Creating child-specific accounts that limit what your kids can do on their devices.

Cost-Free Parental Control Apps

Beyond the device-specific settings parents can use to protect their kids, free versions of popular parental control apps can add another layer of supervision.

Direct monitoring of device behavior isn’t possible with built-in parental controls, which could make applications like Bark and BrightCanary, which surveil social media usage and questionable content, appealing.

Open Communication and Digital Literacy

Another tool parents shouldn’t overlook is the power of open communication about safe digital practices and ongoing check-ins.

Parents can monitor the safety ratings of apps before allowing teens and tweens to download them, review the privacy settings together, and teach their kids what to do if they see offensive content—whether that’s coming directly to them or using the reporting process laid out by a particular service.

Another crucial area to cover is discretion with uploading images. Teaching kids to think twice before sharing or posting content could safeguard them from harm in the short-term and help them develop lifelong healthy habits around social sharing and online privacy.