Does FaceApp unlock personal information? Is it Dangerous?

FACTS | July 21, 2019:

What is FACEAPP?

FaceApp is the newest viral app thanks to its ability to show you what you might look like under different circumstances. This app first became popular a few years ago for its gender-swapping filters, and now it's having a resurgence thanks to an aging filter.

FaceApp has raised privacy concerns, primarily because users are uploading photographs and device-related information to a service operated by a company based in Russia.

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How exposed is your personal information?

Every time you upload a photo to Facebook or share your location on Instagram, you are chipping away at your personal privacy. In much the same way, FaceApp can be a privacy risk, but only if you're giving it more access than it needs.

It's not doing anything different than several other apps available through Google Play; the big difference is where the company who owns the app is located.

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Now, this isn't to say that FaceApp doesn't save any of your data. Specifically, it keeps the photos you upload to its servers. This means when you take a picture to apply aging or gender swap filters, it gets saved.

However, there is no indication that something shady like saving every photo in your gallery occurs. Owners of the app have previously stated that user photos are deleted off of their servers, but there isn't any way to check on this, and users don't have the ability to delete their own data.

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One of the more significant concerns is in reference to the privacy policy. It allows the company to use usernames, likenesses, and users in commercial dealings. It's also not GDPR compliant and using fairly broad language. Again though, this isn't uncommon with privacy policies.

You can either agree to what is involved in them and use the service, or not. They specifically outline collecting information you provide them directly, Analytics information, cookies, log file information, device identifiers, and metadata.

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One cybersecurity expert, however, is warning these fun apps can come with consequences. David Shipley with Beauceron Security said that while the product may be advertised as 'free', it's your information that's the real price. He noted that even a picture of your face can do plenty of damage.

He said, "It can be used to identify you and unlock things like your smartphone or other things and you want to make sure you protect your identity."

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Shipley warns other nefarious activities hackers can do include selling your search history and your location to other companies.

"A lot of companies trade data, almost like trading baseball cards like kids, and because they can sell it, they didn't violate the spirit or terms of your agreement, but it certainly wasn't what a lot of people thought was going to happen with their data."

"People's photos being used to create fake social media profiles that look more real and authentic or to make a copy of your very own social media profile to then target your friends and family with a variety of different scams and attacks."

Source: AGENCIES