Snapchat is a lot of fun, especially with those filters and AR features, but with its latest addition, things get personal-literally. The new My Selfie feature by Snapchat lets users create AI-generated images of themselves, but here is the catch: once users agree to the terms, they’re granting Snapchat permission to use your likeness in personalized ads. Want to learn more about how it works and how you can protect your privacy? Read on!
My Selfie: What is this Snapchat feature?
My Selfie allows users to create AI images of themselves that they can use for sending to friends or making other types of content within the app. This tool will use high-level A.I. to develop personalized avatars from the selfies you upload into the tool. That’s a cool way to change your photos into custom images reflecting your style.
But launch My Selfie for the first time, and Snapchat asks you to agree to terms that let it use your image in personalized sponsored content and ads. That’s right: Your face-or at least, a likeness of it-could pop up in an ad, no compensation given.
The Catch: Your Face Could Be in Ads
Anything you create on My Selfie is subject to Snapchat’s terms, which let the company use your likeness in personalized ads. According to Snapchat’s terms, your AI-generated images might show up in sponsored content that features branding of Snap’s business partners. You’ll be the only one to see them, but it’s a pretty unnerving possibility-and one that a lot of users might not have agreed to knowingly when they signed up.
Here’s part of what Snapchat’s terms say:
You further hereby acknowledge and agree that by using My Selfie, you (or your likeness) may appear in further personalized sponsored content and ads visible only to you that include Snap or its business partners’ branding or other advertising content, without compensation to you.
The not-so-hidden catch to this, however, is that in essence, you have signed away rights to use your face in Snapchat’s advertisement engine. Even though the ads themselves are only visible to you, the fact that one can be created and flashed on your screen without explicitly asking permission to do so is concerning.
How to Opt-Out of Snapchat Ads Using Your Face
Fortunately, you can turn this setting off—although it’s on by default once you accept Snap’s terms. If the idea of your face showing up in ads makes you queasy, here’s how to disable the feature:
- Open Snapchat and tap your profile picture in the screen’s top-left corner.
- Tap the Settings cog in the top-right corner.
- Scroll down and tap on My Selfie.
- Tap off the See My Selfie in Ads setting.
With these steps, you can ensure your AI selfies are not used in any ad personalization.
Snapchat’s New AI Selfie Feature Uses Your Face in Ads – Here’s How to Opt Out!
Snapchat is known for its fun filters and augmented reality (AR) features, but with its latest addition, things are getting personal—literally. Snapchat’s new My Selfie feature allows users to create AI-generated images of themselves, but there’s a catch. Once you agree to the terms, you’re giving Snapchat permission to use your likeness in personalized ads. Want to learn more about how this works and how you can protect your privacy? Keep reading!
What Is Snapchat’s My Selfie Feature?
Snapchat’s My Selfie feature allows users to create AI-generated images of themselves, which can be shared with friends or used for various content within the app. The tool uses advanced artificial intelligence to craft personalized avatars based on the selfies you upload. It’s a cool way to transform your photos into custom images that reflect your unique style.
However, when you use My Selfie for the first time, Snapchat prompts you to agree to terms that allow the platform to use your image for personalized sponsored content and ads. This means your face, or a likeness of it, could appear in ads—without any compensation.
The Catch: Your Face Could Be in Ads
When agreeing to Snapchat’s terms for My Selfie, users are allowing their likeness to appear in personalized ads. According to Snapchat’s terms, your AI-generated images could be used in sponsored content that includes branding from Snap’s business partners. These ads are only visible to you, but it’s an alarming prospect nonetheless—especially if you didn’t realize this was part of the deal.
Here’s a portion of what Snapchat’s terms state:
“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.”
This hidden clause means that, essentially, you’ve signed up for your face to be part of Snapchat’s advertising machine. Although these ads are only shown to you, the idea that your image can be used without explicit permission for each ad is concerning.
How to Opt-Out of Snapchat Ads Using Your Face
The good news is that you can turn this setting off—though it’s enabled by default once you agree to Snap’s terms. If you’re not comfortable with the idea of your face being used in ads, follow these steps to disable it:
- Open Snapchat and select your profile photo in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Tap the Settings cog in the top-right corner.
- Scroll down and select My Selfie.
- Toggle off the See My Selfie in Ads setting.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your AI-generated selfies won’t be used in any personalized ads.
For more on Snapchat’s features, you can visit their official website or check out related updates on SquaredTech
Does Snapchat Share Your Data?
Snapchat insists that while your AI-generated images might be used in personalized ads, they don’t share your Gen AI data with third-party advertisers. Snapchat spokesperson Maggie Cherneff assured that:
“Advertisers do not have access to Snapchatters’ Gen AI data in any capacity, including My Selfies, nor do they have access to Snapchatters’ private data, including Memories, that would enable them to create an AI-generated image of an individual Snapchatter.”
Snapchat also stated that they aren’t using My Selfies for advertisements, but that doesn’t rule out their use someday. The one thing to consider is even if an advertiser doesn’t have access to your Gen AI information, knowing your images can be used within advertisements that come through on the app itself is a concern for privacy with so many users.
Is This the Future of AI in Advertising?
The move begs the question of the future of AI in advertising. My Selfie and other AI-enhanced applications are part of a larger trend in tech, in which the line between personal data and ad content is increasingly eradicated. Great to see technology pushing the envelope on what is possible. There is that thin line between user experience enhancement and overstepping the line of privacy.
While other platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, have dabbled in AI-generated content and tailored advertising, Snapchat is really taking it to the next level. The introduction of features such as My Selfie suggests that AI will be a main point in how companies interact with users and create content. For Snapchat, this is also one way to go head-to-head against competitors like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Conclusion: Stay Informed and In Control
It is good to see AI rise on Snapchat, but users will have to understand how their personal data, their image, are being used with the service. My Selfie can be a great creative tool, but also be aware of what you’re agreeing to when firing it up. If the prospect of seeing your face in Snapchat ads isn’t something that appeals to you, take the necessary steps required to turn this off.
Click on the Snapchat privacy terms for more information on their privacy policy.
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