FaceApp on iOS and Android allows users to run photo-changing filers on pictures of friends and family as well as celebrities and photos from the internet. The most popular FaceApp function is the “old face” filter, which uses clever algorithms to transform and realistically age faces. FaceApp first gained trained traction in 2017 but celebrities using the ageing app in the so-called FaceApp Challenge has led to a new surge in popularity. But the sudden boom has also led to some privacy concerns about FaceApp’s Terms and Conditions and how the app uses and processes your photos.
Is FaceApp safe to use?
FaceApp has been at the centre of a privacy row this week following warnings not to trust the app with your photos.
The popular app uses artificial intelligence to transform photos but the process is done through the cloud and not locally on your mobile device.
This has led some to speculate on the potential privacy issues related to cloud-based processing by the Russian-owned app.
Many users have taken to social media to discuss the app and how it operates.
Twitter user Abdullah Bin Saud tweeted: “FaceApp is violating the privacy of its users; API, keeping phone one, network access, receive data and Google configuration. It’s a clear mission to collect as much data as possible.
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“The new thing is this app is not from US it’s Russian app. So they try to get ahead of data race!!!”
And the UK-based data protection group Privacy Matters issued a warning on Twitter FaceApp could be collecting user data for advertising purposes.
Privacy Matters posted on Twitter: “The app is free – your data is the price. It’s true that if you’re not paying for the service then you are the product.
“None of the embedded hidden app tracking is explained anywhere and users are not given choices.”
You can read the full FaceApp terms of Service (ToS), updated in August 2017, here.
How does FaceApp use your photos and information?
According to FaceApp’s Privacy Policy, the app collects information and data such as photos, communication logs, cookies and device identifiers for “personalised content and ads”.
Some FaceApp users have expressed concern over FaceApp reserving the right to use your photos however the company sees fit.
Under the “User Content” clause, the FaceApp ToS states using the app grants FaceApp a “perpetual” and “irrevocable” license to use the photos.
The ToS reads: “Except for the license you grant below, you retain all rights in and to your User Content, as between you and FaceApp. Further, FaceApp does not claim ownership of any User Content that you post on or through the Services.
“You grant FaceApp a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform and display your User Content and any name, username or likeness provided in connection with your User Content in all media formats and channels now known or later developed, without compensation to you.
“When you post or otherwise share User Content on or through our Services, you understand that your User Content and any associated information (such as your [username], location or profile photo) will be visible to the public.”
What does FaceApp have to say about the security concerns?
In a detailed press statement, FaceApp’s developers explained how they use your collected data and photos.
This includes how and why your photos are stored on the cloud, as well as how long your photos are stored online.
FaceApp said in the statement: “We might store an uploaded photo in the cloud. The main reason for that is performance and traffic: we want to make sure that the user doesn’t upload the photo repeatedly for every edit operation. Most images are deleted from our servers within 48 hours from the upload date.
“We accept requests from users for removing all their data from our servers. Our support team is currently overloaded, but these requests have our priority.
“For the fastest processing, we recommend sending the requests from the FaceApp mobile app using ‘Settings->Support->Report a bug’ with the word ‘privacy’ in the subject line. We are working on the better UI for that.”
FaceApp underscored the statement by saying: “We don’t sell or share any user data with any third parties.
“Even though the core R&D team is located in Russia, the user data is not transferred to Russia.”