Barbie-Style Selfie App Deemed Dangerous in Poland
The Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland warns about potential risks associated with the popular AI services - BaiRBIE.me and barbieselfie.ai. These services, which allow users to create Barbie-style images of themselves, can be hazardous and also collect a significant amount of personal data. The Polish ministry issued this warning on its official Facebook page.
According to Polish officials, the BaiRBIE.me tool does not comply with the European Union's regulations concerning personal data protection. Accepting the privacy policy on this service may result in the transfer of users' personal information to third parties.
Specifically, the following access is granted:
- Smartphone camera access;
- Payment history;
- GPS location history;
- Registration data;
- Detailed technical data of the smartphone;
- User engagement data on social media;
- Information on interactions with other services;
- Survey and contest data.
The website Bairbie.me was created by the American startup Rwnway, led by Russian designer Anna Starikova in a senior position. Interestingly, after the publication of this information on Anna Starikova's LinkedIn profile, it was edited, and details of her education at Ural University from 2014 to 2017 were removed, and her geolocation changed to Turkey. This raises questions about the authenticity and transparency of the service's operations.
Up to the present moment, it remains unknown to whom the collected data is being transferred and how it is being utilized. This poses a risk to the residents of the European Union and Ukraine, and as a precautionary measure, the ministry advises against using these services to safeguard personal security and confidentiality.
It's worth mentioning that the service was launched following the release of the movie "Barbie." However, it is not associated with the Barbie project or the company Mattel. On the service's website, users are required to upload high-resolution photos of themselves without glasses, facing the camera directly, and choose hair color, skin tone, race, and gender, along with providing their email. Within a few seconds or minutes (depending on the service's current popularity), users can receive four versions of their photos in the likeness of Mattel dolls (or more, at an additional cost).
Furthermore, after the release of the Barbie movie, a real "Barbie-mania" is spreading across the world. The Gaze media has compiled a list of the most beautiful pink places in Europe to celebrate this phenomenon.