If you've been on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter recently you undoubtedly would have seen pictures circulating of the #10yearchallenge.
It's a challenge which involves people posting up then-and-now pictures of themselves from 2009 and 2019.
So what's its purpose? Well, it doesn't really have one, other than it being just a bit of "fun", or to remind us of our once terrible hairstyle choice and fashion faux pas.
Recently, a Wired opinion piece by Kate O'Neill explored the issues and risks that can come with memes and social games, such as the 10 year challenge.
The article looked at the idea of whether someone could use your Facebook photos to train a facial recognition algorithm.
"Imagine that you wanted to train a facial recognition algorithm on age-related characteristics and, more specifically, on age progression (e.g., how people are likely to look as they get older). Ideally, you'd want a broad and rigorous dataset with lots of people's pictures. It would help if you knew they were taken a fixed number of years apart—say, 10 years," O'Neill wrote.
Reese Witherspoon posted a now-and-then photo as part of the 10 year challenge. Witherspoon was one of many celebrities whose participation was deemed pointless due to their lack of visible aging.
However its broader message was that "we need to approach our interactions with technology mindful of the data we generate and how it can be used at scale."
Wired's editor Nicholas Thompson, also tweeted the article, adding, "Let's say you wanted to train a facial recognition algorithm on aging. What would you do? Maybe start a meme like #10yearchallenge".
Following this, questions started to emerge online about whether or not the challenge was a possible scam or a ploy by Facebook to use for facial recognition data.
However Facebook shot back, saying that the 10 year challenge was a user-generated meme that started on its own.
"It's evidence of the fun people have on Facebook, and that's it."
O'Neill later tweeted reminding people the story was aimed to encourage others to think clearly about when they share data.
This week Kiwi technologist commentator Paul Brislen, when interviewed on Newstalk ZB, warned people about endangering their online security
The reason for a lot of these online games is to give companies access to your information and your data so they can better understand you and pitch advertising to you, he said.
Too many people take part in these trends, which "nine times out of 10" are a scam, without thinking about the implications.
"We've already seen companies using your face as a way of accessing fairly secure information," he warned on NewstalkZB, highlighting the iPhone's method of unlocking your phone using your face or finger print.
It was the "most individual piece of ID that we have", so people should be more careful about giving it away.
New York University professor Amy Webb told Forbes the photo challenge was a "perfect storm for machine learning". Webb is working on an upcoming book on how AI can manipulate humans.
US facial recognition expert Alvaro Bedoya told USA Today that "you can delete cookies. You can change browsers. And you can leave your smartphone at home."
"But you can't delete your face, and you can't leave it at home."
Netsafe haven't had any queries or complaints relating to the 10 year challenge.
Sean Lyons, Netsafe's Director of Education and Engagement, said they encouraged New Zealanders to review their privacy settings before sharing any image or video on an online platform to ensure they are comfortable with who might be able to see it.
It's also a good idea for people to consider how the image could affect their online reputation and digital footprint in the future, he said.