This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
FaceApp Sparks Concerns Over Data Handling and Facial Recognition ¶
FaceApp, a photo editing app that allows users to edit their faces to show younger or older versions of themselves, has sparked concerns over its data handling and facial recognition capabilities.
Since the app went viral in the last few days, some users have raised concerns over its terms and conditions, arguing that the company takes a cavalier approach to users' data.
FaceApp has responded to these concerns, stating that most images are deleted from its servers within 48 hours of being uploaded and that only the user-submitted photo is uploaded.
However, some experts have questioned why FaceApp needs to upload photos at all, when the app could in theory just process images locally on smartphones rather than send them to the cloud.
FaceApp's server is located in the US, but the company is based in Russia, which has raised concerns over data privacy.
Experts have also pointed out that FaceApp's terms and conditions suggest that user photos could be used for commercial purposes, such as FaceApp's own ads.
FaceApp has denied these allegations, stating that it does not share any data for ad-targeting purposes and that the company makes money through paid subscriptions for premium features instead.
Despite these denials, some experts have expressed concerns over FaceApp's data handling practices and the potential for facial recognition.
FaceApp has stated that it does not use photos for facial recognition training, but some experts have questioned why the company needs to upload photos at all.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has also expressed concerns over FaceApp's data handling practices and has advised users to check what will happen to their personal information before signing up to the app.
