FACE-CHANGING app FaceApp went viral last year as people used its old filter to have a glimpse of what they’d look like in 50 years. Recently, the app is back with a new gender-swapping filter that sent it crashing back into the mainstream through social media.
What does it say about us?
FaceApp was launched in 2017, but its resurgence last year triggered serious concerns about the app having access to possibly millions of photos. Consequently, the FBI issued a warning about the Russian-owned app being a counterintelligence threat.
While the idea of having an app that gender swaps humans in pictures does sound interesting, hip and happening, it comes with several risks.
By using this application, we grant FaceApp (and whoever they give access to their database) liberty to access our digital likeness and permission to use it for their purposes.
More so, recent concerns over the proliferation of fake accounts on Facebook, which it said could benefit from FaceApp data.
And with the dawn of the Anti-Terrorism bill possibly becoming law, there is a risk that these doppelgänger accounts, combined with a realistic likeness of the individuals they’re impersonating, could maliciously act in violation of the provisions of said law, thereby framing the actual person.
The key to safety is remembering that when anything is free, always ask yourself what is in it for the owners of the app and how do they make their money. And while such apps seem okay and fun, be aware that deleting your data might not be as straightforward as it seems.
Stay active until our next chat!