With the internet flooded with Ghibli-style images, the Maharashtra Cyber Cell has issued an advisory cautioning netizens about the growing use of the trend and the data privacy risks associated with it.

In its warning, the Maharashtra Cyber Cell stated that AI applications, including ChatGPT, could potentially allow foreign entities to misuse sensitive data.

This comes as the Ghibli-style images require permission to the user’s photo gallery to convert images.

“There is a real risk that these platforms are building large-scale databases of user-submitted content," the advisory stated.

“This data could be used for training AI models or for purposes far beyond the original intent of the user," it added.

Prior to the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, multiple experts had also warned about the risks associated with uploading personal pictures on the AI platform, in reference to OpenAI’s free and easy access to thousands of personal photos, which, once uploaded, get stored in their database.

One of the researchers flagged that the OpenAI was not just scraping images from the internet to use those in training AI models, there’s much more to it.

Goa Police too, in a warning advised social media users to consider the risk to privacy before Cybersecurity experts revealed that several of these platforms collect and store users’ biometric data – such as facial features – without clear or informed consent.

Once uploaded, users typically lose control over how their images are stored, shared, or potentially misused.

“People often fail to realise the magnitude of the risk involved," said an official from the Cyber Crime Wing.

“These images can be manipulated for deepfakes or other forms of synthetic media, leading to serious misuse."

The department also flagged the growing number of unofficial websites and digital platforms distributing Ghibli-style AI images.

Many of these sites, often offering free artwork or custom animations, are believed to serve as fronts for cybercriminal activity.

Users who access or download content from such sources risk exposing their devices to malware, ransomware, or viruses – threats that could result in identity theft or severe data breaches.

Source: India Today