New 'BeFake' social media app encourages users to transform their photos with AI
Although most social media sites claim to be platforms where people can share their most authentic selves with the world, the profiles display carefully curated windows into what users want others to see. BeFake AI, a new free app, leans into the fakeness of social media.
BeFake AI claims to be the "First AI-Augmented Social Network" where users can use AI to modify their images into art creations and upload them online.
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The app's name and design are a play on BeReal, the social media platform released in January 2020 that attempts to bring authenticity back to social media apps with impromptu notifications where users have to share photos without filters within two minutes.
The app listing even slyly refers to BeReal saying, "Why be real when it's fun to BeFake?"
Like BeReal, BeFake users will get random notifications throughout the day to upload a front and back camera picture. However, unlike BeReal, users don't upload raw, unedited photos. Instead, they use AI to edit and post the photos.
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Because the editing process takes longer than snapping a photo and uploading, users have a 20-minute window to upload their AI photos on BeFake.
To edit the photo, you can use the predetermined prompts or personalize your own, similar to how you would on DALL-E or other AI art generators.
Once you are satisfied with your photo, you can upload your edited picture. However, there is a catch. Despite posting a picture that doesn't resemble the original photo, users can swipe to see the original photo and the AI-transformed one.
However, if you would rather stay anonymous, there is a subscription you can join for $9.99 per month, $99.99 per year, or $2.99 per week, which gives you perks such as hiding the original photo, posting late without penalty, and having unlimited photo generations.
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The app is available for download in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Before you download the app, be aware that (like any other AI model) it can use your personal data for its own use, such as training its models further.
The app's privacy policy says it can use your personal data "to provide and maintain our Service" as well as "for business transfers" or "other purposes," which include "data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience."