Many users in India have complained that FaceApp shows “something went wrong” error and is not working.
There is growing privacy concern regarding FaceApp. Meanwhile, many users in India have complained that FaceApp shows “something went wrong” error and is not working.
Many people suspect that FaceApp may be blocking users from India. People have started posting videos and tutorials on how to dodge this apparent “block”. Some of them recommend using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to hide the real location of the mobile. The hack did work for many users.
When we checked it on July 18 morning, the app seems to be working fine.
Social media is abuzz with the latest fad, FaceApp, which projects a realistic version of a middle-aged or pensioner version of users. However, various people around the world have raised privacy concerns. Many allege that the app has outrageous terms and services that give right to own user data.
When we checked FaceApp’s privacy policies on its website, here is what we found. It uses third-party analytics tools to measure traffic and usage trends for its service. Such tools collect information sent by the user’s device. It monitors the web pages the users visit, add-ons and other information to improve its service.
“We collect and use this analytics information with analytics information from other Users so that it cannot reasonably be used to identify any particular individual User,” it says.
FaceApp shares the collected user data with its affiliates which “may use this information to help provide, understand, and improve” the service. It says that it “may remove parts of data that can identify you and share anonymized data with other parties”.
“But these Affiliates will honor the choices you make about who can see your photos,” it adds.
In its “User Content” policy, it does say that, by agreeing to its terms and services, you are granting FaceApp a “perpetual, irrevocable” license to “use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform and display your User Content and any name, username or likeness provided in connection with your User Content in all media formats and channels now known or later developed, without compensation to you.”
“When you post or otherwise share User Content on or through our Services, you understand that your User Content and any associated information (such as your [username], location or profile photo) will be visible to the public,” it adds.
The brainchild of Russia-based Yaroslav Goncharov, FaceApp was first founded in 2017. It operates on neural networks. You can click a picture of yourself or upload a picture from your gallery to create life-like renditions of your future self. Netizens on social media took to using the app in humorous and witty ways:Us waiting for the photos of the new puppy litter to come through #FaceApp pic.twitter.com/PpVKDLoDOf
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) July 17, 2019
We just put Roger Federer through the #FaceApp old age filter and look what happened pic.twitter.com/cm7c2gW1Wg
— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) July 17, 2019
Fun with #FaceApp part 4. pic.twitter.com/47PAMQJqAx
— Eric Appel (@erockappel) July 17, 2019
On the free version of the app, you can also change your gender, the colour and the style of your hair, and your expression to a smile, among other filters.
The app, which has been downloaded more than one million times, has been flagged by several users for its content policy, which states that the content created with the app could be used for “commercial purposes.”If you use Face App you are giving them a license to use your photos, your name, your username, and your likeness for any purpose. #FaceApp #FaceAppChallenge pic.twitter.com/6xcJ6Anfi4
— Advovo Wabantu (@AdvovoWabantu) July 17, 2019
Another user also alleged that the app could cause a potential “deep fake” scenario. The term refers to the creation of fake content using artificial intelligence, which could virtually indistinguishable from recorded footage and could be used to sway public opinion over important events like elections.
While it is also alleged that FaceApp allegedly uploads users’ full camera roll to remote servers, some of the users dismissed the claim.Can all of you #FaceApp people stop giving more data to the neural net? You're gonna deep fake us out of another election. Just earlier today, a bot revised the Wikipedia page to change who owns this app from "Russia" to "China." Think twice before you install anything. pic.twitter.com/DW2Yqqsf0u
— Anjelica Triola (@anjelica) July 17, 2019
using a network traffic analyzer, I tried to replicate the thing people are talking about with FaceApp allegedly uploading your full camera roll to remote servers, but I did not see the reported activity occur.
here is marlo stanfiekd with a beard though pic.twitter.com/6wy8cHLNuA
— Will Strafach (@chronic) July 17, 2019
French security researcher Elliot Alderson claims that the privacy concern is speculative. “When you modify a photo, they upload this photo, and only this one, to their server,” he tweeted.
When you modify a photo, they upload this photo, and only this one, to their server 5/n pic.twitter.com/9to38G8HWT
— Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) July 16, 2019
