Is it safe to use FaceApp? This is what the fashion app does with your photos

The alarms have gone off. The FaceApp application with which you are creating all kinds of compositions and effects is not as safe as it might seem. Or at least that is what the supposed experts in security and privacy on the Internet assure. But is it safe to download and use FaceApp to see what you will look like in a few years? Can you use it without fear that your mobile data will be compromised? Here we analyze what the problem is and what is the possible solution to the risk of using FaceApp.

The FaceApp application has managed to go viral again for the second time. It already did so in 2017 thanks to its different effects to transform the face of a man into a woman, and vice versa, or to add several years to it. Sure, back then, these features were amazing but not entirely realistic. Now, the application is back in fashion thanks to challenges like FaceAppChallenge or AgeChallenge thanks to its improved finish. And it is that now it can leave us with our mouths open, filling our faces with wrinkles and flaccid skin, as well as dyeing our hair white. More than enough for us to test it with several photos of ourselves or even celebrities. And even more: so that we give you a big one through our social networks.

Entertainment vs Privacy

The real problem comes hand in hand with privacy. Alerts go off when it is known that the application is of Russian origin.And they have just blown up the security of the Internet and of the users who have downloaded it by reviewing their terms and conditions of use. Because? Well, because here it is stated that the creators of the application can not only collect our photographs, but also have the power to store them and take them anywhere have a headquarters. That is, in Russia. Or what is the same, where the rules established by the European data protection law GDPR are not practiced.

If you use FaceApp you are giving them a license to use your photos, your name, your username, and your likeness for any purpose including commercial purposes (like on a billboard or internet ad) - see their Terms: https://t.co/e0sTgzowoN pic.twitter.com/XzYxRdXZ9q

- Elizabeth Potts Weinstein (@ElizabethPW) July 17, 2019

According to FaceApp's terms of use, not only can they be done with your photos, the application also records your name and username.In addition, they may use this information in images for other commercial uses. From taking your photos to an advertising poster, to include yourself in a banner or image on the Internet

The problem here is not so striking if we compare it with the terms and conditions of use of other applications and services such as Facebook, WhatsApp or InstagramIn all of them, users allow the company behind them to collect data and use it for commercial interests, or for "improving the service" and their experience, as they say. The key is that, while in Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other similar applications you can revoke all these permissions to transfer and use your image, in FaceApp it is irrevocable and forever. In other words, we give up all these rights to our images and information without the possibility of canceling it even if we delete our account or uninstall the application.

And this is where the real problem with FaceApp is. An application that does not play with the rules imposed by Europe, and which is also granted all the permissions on the images that are uploaded. Because, if you didn't know, your images go through the FaceApp servers to be able to apply the age filter or any other

What do you want all this data for

This is where all kinds of theories arise. Of course FaceApp has not made any kind of statement in this regard. And their terms of use only talk about possibilities with our photos and information, not what actually happens.

Do you use our photos to educate an Artificial Intelligence for any evil purpose? Could be. But it is not confirmed.After all, those responsible for this application will have millions of selfies from users around the world. Why not train an Artificial Intelligence that knows how to find and detect us through our photos? What it can be used for is another matter: facial recognition? Creation of bots for social networks? Overthrow an election with the supposed support of a large number of people (photos and names of users)? It seems science fiction, but it is possible that it is. It doesn't seem that likely though. Or at least make it the first and only application to do so.

Some youtubers, analysts and technology journalists have already echoed the news. And they also put forward their own theories, which are still just that, without any confirmation or proof of the use that FaceApp makes of our photos. The most widely shared is that the new viral fashion or, a new challenge that has put FaceApp in the news arena, is a orchestrated campaign to obtain user informationA fun and tempting challenge to participate in so that, with this application, they can be done with all this data. In this case, someone related to Russia or to the company behind FaceApp, also from that country. Of course no one dares to say why.

Steal our data and sell it to the highest bidder on the Internet? It seems the most likely. But then again, there is no evidence to prove it Just a few terms of use and conditions that ensure FaceApp's position despite handling all this information from the users.

UPDATE: Those responsible for FaceApp have issued a statement informing about the operation of their application and what happens with the photographs. According to the statements, only one photo is uploaded to the FaceApp servers, the one selected by the user. And it stays for 48 hours before being eliminated.In this way, the loading and editing processes are more agile for all users, without the service collapsing due to uploading the same photo over and over again. It also informs of the steps to request that a photograph or information be removed from its servers. Just go to the application Settings, look for the Support option and here Report a bug or report a bug. The request message must include the word "privacy" or privacy in English for the request to be met.

But the most important of these statements is in their last points, where they assure that they do not sell this information to other companies. In fact, 99% of users do not register in the application, so they do not have all their data. In addition, they also refer to the issue of being a Russian company, indicating that user information is not transferred to that country.

How to be safe in front of FaceApp

Of course, the only safe formula is never having downloaded FaceApp, let alone uploading a photo to the service.That is, having applied a filter on a photo of ours. If you are already a FaceApp user, the damage would be done In case there is any.

What you should especially take into account, especially if you have already used the application, is do not share sensitive information in your photos Issues such as bank details, sensitive locations, private parts of your body or other details that absolutely no one else wants them to know. We don't know what FaceApp does with them, so the best thing you can do is not give them more information than your features and the rest of the data that this app can collect.

Of course, once you know what has happened in this case, the best thing you can do is create a security perimeter when you go to download new applications. Find out what they really do.Review all the permissions you have to grant to see if they are justified. And, if you're patient, check its terms and conditions of use With all this information, all that remains is for you to decide whether to download and use the application or bet on your privacy.