I, for example, received several fully nude results despite uploading only headshots. Lensa’s terms of service instruct users to submit only appropriate content containing “no nudes” and “no kids, adults only.” And yet, many users-primarily women-have noticed that even when they upload modest photos, the app not only generates nudes but also ascribes cartoonishly sexualized features, like sultry poses and gigantic breasts, to their images. Each concern is legitimate, but less discussed are the more sinister violations inherent in the app, namely the algorithmic tendency to sexualize subjects to a degree that is not only uncomfortable but also potentially dangerous. I’ve already been lectured about the dangers of how using the app implicates us in teaching the AI, stealing from artists, and engaging in predatory data-sharing practices.
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