I found it on Facebook but copying the first line and dropping into a non AI search brought up the source, so you can view the opinion of Cartoonist Mike Lynch on his site. Emphasis in bold is mine.

The AI Cartoon Trend: Not About Fun, It Was About Your Data

Let’s clear something up.
That AI cartoon trend didn’t explode because people suddenly discovered creativity. It blew up because it was a perfect data trap—simple, viral, voluntary, and massively profitable.
You didn’t just upload a picture and get a cartoon back.
You handed over:
Your face (biometric data)
Your expressions and features
Your behavior (what you click, how fast you comply)
Your habits and preferences
Your willingness to follow a trend without reading the fine print
That’s not “fun.”
That’s profiling.
This Is How Modern Data Harvesting Works
Nobody forces you anymore. They don’t need to.
They dress it up as:
A trend
A filter
A game
A joke
“Just for fun”
And people line up to participate.
When something is free, you are not the customer — you’re the product.
These apps aren’t built to entertain you. They’re built to collect, package, and sell behavioral data to advertisers, developers, political groups, and AI training models. Your cartoon wasn’t the end goal — it was the bait.
“People Are Just Having Fun”
That’s the lie people tell themselves to avoid thinking.
If you need an app to escape your life, that’s not harmless fun — that’s distraction. And distraction is the easiest state to manipulate.
The most valuable data isn’t stolen anymore.
It’s volunteered.
Smiling. Laughing. Clicking “I Agree.”
Why This Matters
Your face is permanent.
Your data footprint is permanent.
Your digital profile doesn’t disappear when the trend dies.
Once it’s collected, it’s:
Stored
Repurposed
Sold
Trained on
Cross-referenced
All without you ever seeing a dime.
This Isn’t Anti-Tech — It’s Pro-Awareness
Technology isn’t the enemy.
Blind compliance is.
Trends don’t happen by accident. They’re engineered. They’re tested. They’re launched for a reason.
And that reason is almost never you.
Final Thought
You didn’t make a cartoon.
You completed a profile.
Know the value of your data. Protect yourself. Question the trend.