If you’ve been on Instagram recently, you’re likely to have encountered the quirky Google Nano Banana portraits or the glamorous vintage saree AI edits. These viral trends have taken over social media feeds, generating both excitement and concern.
The Nano Banana craze is driven by Google’s Gemini Nano model, which transforms ordinary selfies into 3D figurine-like characters. The results showcase glossy, toy-like skin, large expressive eyes, and playful cartoonish details.
Similarly, the vintage saree AI trend gives users retro-inspired looks, reimagining portraits in elegant traditional sarees with cinematic backdrops. However, as with all AI-driven trends, questions about safety and privacy have arisen.
How safe is the Google Nano Banana tool?
Google assures users that images edited or generated with its tools carry SynthID, an invisible digital watermark, along with metadata tags that identify them as AI-generated. According to Google’s AI Studio, this watermark promotes transparency by confirming that AI was used in creating the image.
However, while the watermark exists, it is not infallible. Reports indicate that everyday users cannot yet access public detection tools to verify these watermarks. Experts also highlight that digital stamps can be altered or removed, rendering them unreliable on their own. Hany Farid, a professor at UC Berkeley, suggests that watermarking may be useful when combined with more robust detection systems but cannot fully safeguard against deepfakes.
How to protect your photos online
- Avoid uploading highly personal, intimate, or sensitive images to AI tools.
- Remove details such as location or device information before uploading.
- Adjust your social media privacy settings to restrict who can view and share your content.
- Keep copies of your original photos to monitor for any unauthorised edits.
- Always review platform policies to understand whether your uploads may be used for AI training.
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