I’m sure you have seen this new trend. Maybe on the internet, maybe in the news, or perhaps you noticed it because your friend used it to generate a cartoonized version of themselves. Well, this is cool, and everyone can use it for FREE(intentionally bold) on ChatGPT. Just go to it, attach your chosen image, write a prompt such as “Generate me an image of this in Ghibli style and keep details,” and voila! You get it!
But remember the saying: “If something is free, you are the product.”
So, this is the new premium prompt(feature). Features like this are often paid in software. But with this one, it’s not the case. Wonder why?
What Happens When You Upload Your Image?
Certainly, ChatGPT works its magic and combines colors, saturation, exposure, and more.
But what about the things done under the hood? For that, we need a bit of theoretical knowledge. As a software engineer, let me explain to you in simple terms what happens beyond color adjustments.
Images are files in the system
If you’ve taken a computer science class, you know that computers consist of bytes.
Bytes are numbers — either zero or one. Each byte has its own memory allocation in the computer’s memory. So, you know that an image can take up 2MB (megabytes) of space on your disk. The size of an image file depends on how many bytes it contains.
Ever wondered why professional photographs photos look so good? That’s because cameras like Nikon and Canon capture images with more bytes, which results in higher quality and more detail. A raw image from a camera can be up to 40MB, while a photo taken on your phone might be around 10MB. More bytes generally mean better quality and more detail.
Sensitive data in a metadata
Every photo also contains metadata.
Metadata can include location data (GPS coordinates), device information (camera model), timestamps, and other data that could reveal a lot about you without you even realizing it.
Note: I cannot definitively confirm whether ChatGPT preserves metadata from uploaded images, nor have I found any clear statement from OpenAI claiming they don’t, creating an information gap that calls for cautious use of the Ghibli feature prompts.
Your sensitive informations
When you upload an image to generate a Ghibli-style version, you’re not just sharing your photo — you’re sharing metadata too. In the wrong hands, this data could be used to track your location or other personal information. Be mindful of what you’re giving away.
Examples of what metada can include:
- Geolocation data(longitude and latitude)
- File type and size
- Description
- Date created
- Camera settings
- Creator and uploader
- Operating system
Well, I’m always sharing my pictures on Viber/Whats App, so what?
Well, applications like these, Instagram, Telegram etc. before you share your image, delete the metadata from it. Yes! That can be done by just removing bytes that are used to define metadata. And guess what. You can also do it for free on Jimpl.
How a guy caught a girlfriend cheating using metadata
There is a story a friend of mine told me.
The boyfriend(DevOps) suspected something wasn’t right when his girlfriend claimed she was at her friend’s house studying. He casually asked her to send a current photo of herself. When she sent it, he decided to check the image metadata using online tool.
The metadata revealed that the photo was taken with an Android device, but my friend knew his girlfriend used an iPhone 12 Pro. This little detail exposed her lie — she had used someone else’s phone to take the photo. By doing so, she revealed more than just the device she used; she also shared sensitive geolocation data. Knowing the coordinates, he knew the guy who lived there and already suspected that she was cheating on him.
If you’re wondering why the social media app didn’t remove the metadata, it’s because my friend asked her to send image like file not as photo, and it does not strip the metadata.
And why she used someone else’s phone to take the photo? Well, it turned out her iPhone’s battery had run out, and ironically, the boyfriend didn’t have an iPhone charger on hand because he used, as I mentioned, an Android phone. The iPhone 13 Pro doesn’t use a USB-C charger, so she couldn’t just borrow his cable. So guys, even if you don’t have an iPhone, at least have a charger for it! xd
"You after reading this article"
Conclusion
While the Ghibli style transformation feature is exciting and fun, it’s important to be cautious. It’s very important to understand the risks.
Did you know for this? Let me know in the comments below 💬
Top comments (2)
IPhone story is wild 😂 Also it is true about meta data, I mostly don't share any personal data to online models ai or not. Never feels safe.
We don't really know what goes under the hood.
Yes, it is 😂
We should be cautious. Thanks for the comment