Instagram and Facebook newsfeeds have had a nostalgic transformation recently, with people turning their current selfies into portraits resembling those from the 80s.
What Is the Fad Really About?
Instead of using the regular vintage filters, the pictures are being uploaded to ChatGPT and requesting that they create an entirely new scene based on the decade, right down to the hair, clothes, accessories, background, and photography style. Some users are also sending out versions of the prompt via Instagram Stories, along with the Add Yours sticker on the app. People have been replicating their pictures in styles based on various eras, and even celebrities and politicians have gotten into the trend.
Why It Has Spread So Widely?
The images appearing online cover a wide visual range, from glamorous portraits and formal studio style shots to grainy film stills and photographs that resemble old family albums. The format has proven easy to replicate, since it only takes one photo and a prompt to generate a convincing period style image, which has helped it travel quickly across platforms and borders.
The Privacy Risk Experts Are Flagging
Security experts have repeatedly warned that trends like this are not as harmless as they look. One information technology expert explained that trends transforming photos into different time periods encourage large numbers of users to share personal photos, and that facial images contain biometric data which can be used in facial recognition systems instead of passwords. He also noted that widespread sharing makes it difficult for users to control how their photos are used later, since images can be redistributed or downloaded by other parties beyond the app they were uploaded to.
Data Retention And Fraud Concerns
Separately, cybersecurity voices have pointed to a more serious scenario. Leaked images containing detailed biometric features could later be reused for fraud, blackmail or impersonation, making the data impossible to fully retrieve once compromised. Photos uploaded for these trends are also not always deleted right away, and may instead be temporarily stored, used to train AI models, or shared with third parties under vague privacy policies.
Staying Safe While Joining In
Experts recommend checking a platform’s privacy policy before uploading a photo, avoiding high resolution images, and steering clear of trends that involve pictures of minors.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
