Snapchat’s AI Selfie Feature: How Your Face Might Be Used in Personalized Ads and How to Opt Out

Snapchat’s latest feature, My Selfie, lets users generate AI-powered selfies based on photos they share. While it’s a fun and interactive tool, it also comes with a hidden cost — your face could be used in personalized ads without any direct compensation. This functionality might not sit well with everyone, so it’s crucial to understand what you’re agreeing to when you use this feature and how to opt out.

Snapchat’s AI Selfie and Its Use in Ads

The feature, My Selfie, is designed to let Snapchat users create AI-generated versions of themselves, often shared with friends for entertainment. However, upon using it for the first time, Snapchat prompts you to agree to its terms. Buried in these terms is a clause stating that your likeness could appear in ads, including personalized sponsored content visible only to you.

Snap’s terms make it clear:

“You also acknowledge and agree that by using My Selfie, you (or your likeness) may also appear in personalized sponsored content and ads that will be visible only to you and that includes branding or other advertising content of Snap or its business partners without compensation to you.”

How to Turn Off the “See My Selfie in Ads” Setting

Once you accept these terms, Snapchat automatically enables the See My Selfie in Ads setting by default. This means your AI-generated face could potentially be used in personalized advertisements, even if they are only shown to you.

Here’s how you can disable this setting to prevent Snapchat from using your AI-generated selfies in ads:

1. Open Snapchat and tap your profile photo in the top-left corner.

2. Tap the settings cog in the top-right corner of your profile.

3. Scroll down and select My Selfie.

4. Toggle off the See My Selfie in Ads option.

By following these steps, you can stop Snapchat from using your AI selfies in any sponsored content or ads.

Snapchat’s Stance on Privacy and Ads

While the use of your likeness in ads may sound alarming, Snapchat claims it takes measures to protect your privacy. According to Maggie Cherneff, a spokesperson for Snap, advertisers do not have access to Snapchatters’ AI-generated data or their personal data. This includes content stored in Memories or any other personal information that could be used to create AI-generated images.

Cherneff also clarified that Snap currently does not use My Selfies in advertising at all, which means, for now, the setting is more of a potential feature rather than an active one.

Understanding the Implications

Although this feature is not actively in use for advertising at the moment, it’s important for users to be aware of the potential privacy implications. Many users might breeze through terms without realizing that their AI selfies could be used in ads, albeit ads they would only see themselves.

As AI continues to evolve in social media platforms, features like Snapchat’s My Selfie are likely to become more common, blending entertainment with data usage. While this offers exciting possibilities for personalization, it also blurs the lines between fun tools and the commercial use of personal data.

For users who value their privacy or are uncomfortable with their face being potentially used in ads — even if they’re the only ones seeing them — it’s advisable to disable this feature as a precaution.

Final Thoughts

Snapchat’s My Selfie feature showcases how AI is reshaping user interactions on social media. However, with this advancement comes the responsibility for users to stay informed and protect their privacy. As long as settings like See My Selfie in Ads exist, it’s crucial to review them and make conscious choices about how much of your digital likeness is shared — even with yourself.

Stay cautious, stay informed, and enjoy your AI-powered selfies responsibly!