Bumble Adds Reporting Feature for AI Altered Profiles
Contributed by: kellyseal on Wednesday, August 07 2024 @ 04:18 pm
Last modified on Wednesday, August 07 2024 @ 04:37 pm
Bumble has announced a new reporting feature for users to alert the app if they suspect a profile of displaying AI-generated photos and videos.
“Fake Profile” allows users to flag and report accounts that they think are AI-generated and being used to deceive other app users. According to Tech Crunch, people using AI to beef up their profiles is creating a new problem on dating apps (aside from the typical bots, spam accounts, and safety issues that have been around for a while) – and that is whether or not to believe that the person in the profile they are seeing is actually that person, or an AI-enhanced version of them.
For example, someone could generate a photo of themselves to make them look more like Taylor Swift, or alter their bodies to show muscles they don’t have in real life, hoping to attract more matches through deception. In other words, they are gaming the system with AI.
Bumble is taking steps now to curb this new bad behavior. Now when a user reports a profile, they can choose “Fake Profile” and select “Using AI-generated photos or videos” as a reason for the complaint.
“An essential part of creating a space to build meaningful connections is removing any element that is misleading or dangerous,” Bumble’s vice president of product, Risa Stein, said in a statement to TechCrunch[*1] .
AI-generated images have certain telltale signs, such as odd lighting, shadows, or bodies that don’t align with the setting and environment. AI images also appear more real and vivid than a typical photo.
This new feature adds to Bumble’s previous AI tool called Deception Detector, which detects and removes fake profiles, spammers and scammers. The platform’s Private Detector feature automatically blurs nude photos and asks the user if they want to report the account without having to see the image.
Bumble says since it launched Deception Detector, member reports of fake profiles and scammers have decreased by 45 percent.
The main issue for dating apps continues to revolve around trust. As users encounter more fake profiles and AI-enhanced photos and videos that mislead them, they are more likely to delete their account or choose not to engage on the platform. Dating apps overall have seen a decline in active users and downloads, and this might be contributing to the problem.
Stein also told Tech Crunch: “We are committed to continually improving our technology to ensure that Bumble is a safe and trusted dating environment. By introducing this new reporting option, we can better understand how bad actors and fake profiles are using AI disingenuously so our community feels confident in making connections.”