FaceApp: We don't sell or share user data

Almost anybody who uses Facebook is familiar with Face App and maybe you already used it yourself. So what is the ruckus about it gaining more than 150 million faces of its user?

Safe to use or not safe?

FaceApp challenge

We have learned from the past that viral Facebook applications collect data from us with an unclear purpose, in which that information is not secured. One of the popular apps currently is the face app, and by using this you can alter your looks, hairstyles, expressions, and even age. But in order to do this, the app requires the user's permission or access to your photos, name, and username for any purpose. 

Whenever a user runs the said application on his/her phone, the photo is uploaded to Amazon servers and later on can be accessed by Wireless Labs which is a Russian company. According to Face App's terms of use, the access you are granting is pretty comprehensive that it is irrevocable, royalty-free and worldwide. The user's photo and can be modified, published and distributed for commercial purposes in all channels and media formats.

According to U.S. Senator Schumer, there's a danger in this if confidential information of the citizens was provided to a foreign power like Russia as it is engaged in cyber attacks against the United States. Is this a good reason for us to be wary as consumers?

In response to the privacy concerns, FaceApp stated that they don't sell or share any user data with any third parties and despite the fact that their research and development team in Russia, the data is not transferred there.

Aside from that, photo-processing in done on AWS and Google Cloud servers. If we will compare Face App to Pitu, the latter posts more danger. Pitu obtains more access to consumer data such as browser history, phone calls, location, and contacts. The same risk applies to the famous gender swap application.

Going back to Face App, the privacy issue may be rooted in the terms of service and privacy policy according to the post of Art Samaniego Jr. of Manila Bulletin.

See also: All Eyes on Face App: No one wary of the data policy of Facebook and Instagram

Would you still risk your personal data to have a look at your future self?

Sources: Forbes, The Verge, Inquirer, Art Samaniego