KVKK warns of biometric data risks in viral AI photo trend

Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) has issued a warning regarding the viral “#80lerchallenge” social media trend, where users utilize artificial intelligence to transform their photos into 1980s-style images.

Experts and the KVKK warn that these AI tools may process facial images as biometric data. There are significant concerns regarding how third-party applications store, analyze, and share high-quality facial features, including facial lines, proportions, and expressions. The lack of transparency regarding data retention periods and whether this information is used to train AI models or shared with third parties poses a long-term security risk, as biometric data cannot be changed if compromised.

Additionally, users are cautioned against phishing attempts, including fraudulent emails sent in the name of ChatGPT that invite users to participate in the trend via suspicious links.