FaceApp’s age filter is a popular social media trend nowadays. It is almost impossible to scroll down the social media news feed without seeing someone posting the pictures of their old self. The trend also makes a sense; after all, who is not interested in knowing about how they will look in future when they are eager to find out what they would be doing in years to come.
While this popular age filter is indeed a simple entertainment, its working mechanism is beyond being complex. Just like other social media platforms where users don’t hesitate from sharing their personal data in the name of entertainment FaceApp also makes people upload their pictures which they do without thinking twice.
Why Everyone Is Talking about Dangers of Using FaceApp?
It’s been so long since the popular age filter is going mainstream. But all those concerns about the privacy issues that this app poses are being raised from the last couple of days only. Before, we pay serious attention to all those bad words about FaceApp we also need to look who is saying this. In most of the videos on social media that throw light on how this app is accessing millions of faces in a clever way, the word “Russian App” can be easily heard or seen in written form.
Therefore one reason that FaceApp is being criticized more than other social media apps is that it is a Russian product. And, we all know how these US vs. China & Russia wars between tech giants and corporates work. So, there is no doubt that age filter related security issues are being amplified more than other such features on contemporary sites. One should really wonder why there has not been such an outrage against Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook filters and features that make people upload bundles of pictures and create its several versions.
Facebook’s famous Cambridge Analytica scandal is also not hidden from anyone. By now users know how they invertedly agreed to share their personal details in the name of a personality quiz and ended up helping a company to show targeted ads for political campaigns.
Well, we can’t defend FaceApp’s age filter only because it is Russian and made in America social media platforms have also been involved in users’ data breach.
What Was So Wrong With FaceApp in Particular
By now users are very well aware of using social media apps and sharing their information there. Users are also aware of the implementation of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) in the EU (European Union) that requires e-commerce companies and tech giants to disclose their data policy clearly. In view of such awareness on how the companies particularly social media platforms can exploit the users’ data, sharing personal information like pictures and other such details is quite discretionary.
But Issues with FaceApp are of a different nature.
For example, iOS users complained that they were able to upload their pictures once they denied access to the camera roll. Secondly, the App doesn’t edit the picture locally but uploads it on the cloud where the processing of current to form to old age form takes places. Therefore, the thought of sending their pictures to the cloud is something making people insecure.
What Does FaceApp Has to Say on It?
According to media reports, FaceApp has clarified its stance on users’ privacy and security concerns. The startup in its defense has told that its R&D is based in Russia but clouds system where the processing takes place is based outside the country. Further, the app doesn’t access the camera roll but only chooses the picture that users upload and deletes it after the 48 hours of processing.
The response of FaceApp might be satisfactory but users still must think before they allow in social media whether FaceApp or Instagram to scan their faces. Further, in this tech-connected world where people spend most of their time before the screens, skipping the eye of the camera is almost impossible. Still one must be careful enough to decide on what kind of platform they should actually share their pictures and whether their five minutes of entertainment is worth jeopardizing their privacy.
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