FaceApp is at the centre of all social media fun in recent days and almost everyone is exploring how they would look with wrinkles and grey hair. But it might be giving away your data and everything about you to Russia.
While celebrities and common folks the world over had a good laugh uploading selfies and getting a look at their old selves, the app might have a motive that’s far from harmless light-hearted fun.
- The app is now on FBI’s radar after US Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer asked the agency to probe if FaceApp is breaching privacy laws.
- Schumer tweeted that facial recognition is so widespread that it could potentially have the risk of personal data available to a ‘hostile foreign power’, calling it deeply troubling.
- The senator called on the FBI to probe the app owned by a Russia-based company, being used by millions of Americans.
- FaceApp requires users to give complete, irrevocable access to their selfies, personal photos & data.
- The US’ Democratic National Committee (DNC) has urged 2020 presidential candidates to not use the app with the potential threat inhibition.
- In its defence, FaceApp has said that most selfies are deleted from the cloud within 48 hours and no user data is shared with any third parties.
- FaceApp also said that although the core team is based in Russia, and no user selfie is transferred to the country.
- FaceApp has additionally assured that it only uploads the selfie selected for editing to its server and no other images from a user gallery are uploaded.
- The potential risk of data privacy and repercussions attached due to the current state of world affairs, spying, and data privacy concerns, users are left anxious and insecure.
