Why is FaceApp dangerous? The data theft controversy

Lately there have been some security issues with the popular FaceApp app. If you want to know what these problems are, we explain here why FaceApp is dangerous and we will tell you about the controversy on the data theft in which he is involved.

Why is FaceApp dangerous?

The famous and world-famous Russian FaceApp application has raised worrying controversy over whether or not it is safe to use it. By itself, this application is designed to apply filters to the photos we want, among which the effect of aging faces in FaceApp stands out .

Although this is an app that has become a trend in recent days, FaceApp has presented some issues that disrupt the experience of many when using it. The problem lies in the security offered by Terms and conditions of this application.

What worries many users is that because FaceApp's terms and conditions are extremely open, developers place very little importance on the safety of their users.

The famous application compiles user data which must remain private and does not give them the possibility of accessing this data. This means that the application does not comply with the European GDPR which is responsible for protecting people's private information.

What type of private data does FaceApp store?

It is quite normal that users of the application worry about their safety and the total confidentiality data they can give to FaceApp. If you are one of them, we show you what kind of data this app stores:

• Cookies: this information is saved when entering the website, not in the app.
• Media files: The images without filter are stored in the application, because the already enhanced photo can only be obtained while using it.
• Statistical data: the most and least used information in the application is stored.
• Metadata: even the smallest action, translated into structured data, is saved in the application.
• Identifier: the application stores data that identifies our device, in order to differentiate it from other users.

We see that FaceApp, available on the Google Play Store and the App Store, doesn't differ much from other apps in terms of the data it stores. But the problem is, it doesn't give the information we give it its own confidentiality.

Does FaceApp Really Steal Data?

This is one of the biggest concerns of users and, in a certain sense; It can be said that the application if it takes some data without the consent of its users. The situation is that FaceApp does not ask its users for permission to take their Android device ID or access the phone number.

As we mentioned earlier, the app request this data for identify the device used by the application. But the app is very clear in making sure that it cannot ensure the security of any kind of information that we pass to the app. This can undoubtedly be a problem for FaceApp users as they cannot be sure what will happen to the data they provide to the app.

While all of these issues are true, the developers of FaceApp ensure that all this data is not used for profit.

Moreover, they claim that their users can feel safe using the app. They also state that most of this data can only be collected if you log into the app to use it, which very few people do.

If you are concerned, we tell you that there are other applications like FaceApp to change faces and add other fun filters including videos. In fact, you can even use After Effects to create the same FaceApp video effects .

We encourage you to make the decision you feel is appropriate when app download . If you already have it on your mobile, considering the above, you might want to remove FaceApp forever ; you have the full right.

Now that you know why FaceApp is considered dangerous, we hope you decide whether or not to use this famous app.