EASTERN SAMAR, Philippines – AI-powered photo editing apps are reshaping reality, letting users smooth wrinkles, defy age, and chase beauty ideals with ease. But behind the instant gratification lies a dark truth: users unknowingly expose their personal data and risk exploitation, all while struggling with unrealistic standards that can harm their mental health.
As technology blurs the line between authentic and artificial, the consequences of this digital self-expression are growing harder to ignore.
A profile photo is often the first glimpse into someone’s online persona. But what if it is made with AI?
“Maaram maak hit nga diri it ungod (Well, I am very much aware that it’s fake)!” exclaimed Manilyn Campo, a secretary of a barangay council in Llorente, Eastern Samar.
She discovered AI-powered photo editing through a link sent by one of her friends online. Intrigued, she tried it out and was captivated by the way it transformed her appearance.
“A lot of people find me pretty,” she said.
Similarly, Shirly Valdez, a 40-year-old mother of six, is also an avid user of AI tools. As a logistics staff member juggling work and family, she finds joy in AI-edited photos that remind her of her youth.
“Some people even say that my daughters and I look very much alike,” she said.
The process, they explained, is simple: first, install the app, next accept its terms and conditions, and then grant access permission to your files, pick a ready-made template, and voilà — you’re moments away from becoming a blonde biracial bombshell straight out of a fantastical Instagram fever dream.
Initially, Manilyn tried it because it was a trend among her friends and colleagues. As for Shirly, she has found joy in the idea that she could relive the nostalgia through these enhancements.
Manilyn and Shirly are just some of many who use AI-powered photo editing apps to beautify their profile photos. These apps are not only free but also highly accessible.
According to Statista, 4 out of 10 smartphone users globally have a photo-editing app.
In the Philippines, where Android phones dominate the market, AI photo editing apps are not new, with its real-time recommendations and downloads on App Markets and Google Play store. With just a tap, users can transform their appearance by smoothening skin, reshaping features, and even oddly enough, changing ethnicities.
This is prevalent on the country’s most popular social media platform: Facebook. With 87.7 million Filipino users, Facebook has leveraged AI in its algorithms to shape the content that users engage with and share. This shows the platform’s influence, not only on how individuals present themselves online, but also how it affects their lives — whether for better or worse.
Top users
The Philippines is emerging as one of the top users of AI globally. Recent data showed that 87% of white-collar jobs in the country now use AI, with 46% of Filipino workers using Generative AI (GenAI) tools monthly for their jobs, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s Decoding Global Talent Report 2024.
The country also ranks among the top users of the generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, and is a hot spot for AI-powered dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr. These numbers subtly reflect how AI is woven into both professional and personal spheres among Filipinos.
Keeping up with these advancements, Facebook has recently expanded its AI-driven features through Meta AI, introducing tools like AI labeling to promote transparency. This feature allows creators to mark content as AI-generated, but because it isn’t automated, much AI-generated content — ranging from images and videos to text and art — remains unlabeled.
Misuse
This, however, has also led to the proliferation of AI-generated content across pages and groups, some of which can be misused for politics, propaganda, and even deep fakes.
Features like, “Why are you seeing this?” give users insights into how content is tailored to them. This personalization has influenced users like Shirly, who tried apps like PhotoLab after seeing similar posts on her feed.
Meanwhile, Facebook has become a hub for quick AI-editing app ads, ranging from simple photo enhancements to bizarrely made transformations. It can turn an innocent photo of two people into a video of them hugging or kissing — just like the one showing ex-president Rodrigo Duterte and former senator Leila de Lima.
Dominic Ligot, founder and CEO of CirroLytix and Data Ethics PH, pointed out how the rise of AI-enhanced photo editing tools is closely tied to the growing accessibility of advanced technology and the influence of social media culture.
“Increased accessibility to cutting-edge technology has made these apps appealing to users who want quick and easy ways to enhance their images,” Ligot explained.
He also said Facebook’s focus on promoting AI-enhanced profile photos may be part of Meta’s broader strategy to boost engagement through AI-driven features.
“The algorithm likely prioritizes visually appealing content to encourage interactions, thereby promoting the use of AI tools,” he added.
The observation rings true on Facebook gaming. Woohoo!, for instance, is a game on the app that creates AI-enhanced photos based on a user’s likeness. There is limited information available about the game, as most searches just link it directly. When accessed via a mobile phone, the privacy policy section does not appear, whereas on a desktop, it shows up before proceeding to play it.
A key requirement for this game is access to a user’s profile picture. Once you’re in, you get to navigate all its perks, including joining a dating community where you can post your AI photo in hopes of finding a soulmate.
On Facebook Messenger, users can now explore endless possibilities with AI image generation through the Meta AI chatbot. Simply type the word “imagine” followed by a description of the image you want, and the chatbot will create it for you. Additionally, users can reimagine or animate the generated photos for added creativity.
While still being tested in the US, users may soon create personalized AI photos through quick setup steps and on-screen prompts, with the feature likely reaching the Philippines soon.
Your face is your consent
AI photo-enhancing apps rely on user consent to access images which is a form of biometric information.
In the Philippines, the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA) classifies such data — like fingerprints and facial recognition data — as sensitive personal information. When users grant this access, they unknowingly share unique physical features that can be processed through facial recognition technology (FRT).
“Users face risks including identity theft, unauthorized use of personal images, and exploitation through biometric data collection,” cautioned Ligot.
He added that apps that are not secure further expose user images to likely misuse, such as training AI models, sales to third parties, or malicious exploitation following data breaches.
Despite these risks, many users opt to skip over terms and conditions and privacy policies, granting consent without understanding what may happen next.
Manilyn, on the one hand, admitted she rarely reads the fine print when using these apps. Shirly, on the other hand, acknowledged the risks but continues to use the apps, aware that her data could be accessed by third parties.
In October 2023, the Department of National Defense (DND) cautioned the military against the use of AI image generators, citing its “inherent security risks” following a cyberattack on the websites of the House of Representatives and the Senate earlier that month. In the same year, apps like EPIK-AI Photo Editor popularized nostalgic 1990s-style yearbook trend photos but faced criticism for ethical concerns and commodifying creativity.
Rappler has debunked numerous AI-generated deepfakes and edited photos. As of Friday, January 3, at least 60 out of 481 fact check articles in 2024 involved AI-generated or manipulated images or videos, including one featuring President Marcos Jr.
Lawyer Rysan Guinocor, chief legal officer at Visayas State University (VSU), said safeguarding personal data is not solely the users’ responsibility. App developers and content creators have a role to play, too.
Guinocor said, “It should be a personal duty, but these apps must ensure they have implemented all necessary measures to obtain user consent before any data is processed. This includes making terms and conditions clear and transparent, and users should be able to acknowledge and read them.”
Under the law, explicit user consent is required before data collection begins. Apps should secure approval upfront, but many bypass this, collecting data without proper authorization. If a breach occurs, companies with a presence in the Philippines are liable under the National Privacy Commission (NPC).
However, most of these apps are foreign-owned, complicating accountability.
Guinocor said, “As long as the company has a presence in the Philippines, the DPA will apply. But without local offices, enforcing accountability can be difficult. That’s why you seldom hear cases going after such big companies because they’re far from here.”
However, as Ligot explained, even with consent, transparency issues remain.
Ligot said, “Users often overlook permissions related to data collection, such as access to photos and location data. This oversight can lead to unintended sharing of sensitive information, increasing the risk of privacy breaches and misuse of personal data.”
This points to a troubling realization: many internet users engage with AI-enhanced tools without fully knowing how their data will be used, shared, or stored — prioritizing convenience over caution and leaving us with the question: at what cost do we trade authenticity for perfection? (To be concluded) – Rappler.com
(NEXT: Part 2 | AI-enhanced photos: A confidence boost or a mask for insecurities?)
Efren Cyril Bocar is a student journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar, enrolled in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. A managing editor of Amaranth, Cyril is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2024.