The Russians are Stealing Your Face. FaceApp and the Revival of Data Collection Concerns

Looking old has gone viral. People all around the world, or more specifically in the US are discovering what it’s like to look old via a photo editing app called FaceApp. FaceApp is one of the many photo altering apps out there, making you look plastic surgery perfect without the actual operation.

Running alongside other well-known apps such as Facetune and Airbrush, FaceApp was known long before it’s US virality within the Russian audience. Now it’s the #1 app for Photo & Video in the US iOS App Store storefront. 

So people are making themselves look old with a mobile app. So what? 

It’s the same tune playing over and over again. We heard it with Vero, we heard it with Facebook, and we heard it with practically every digital platform where we upload personal information.

Data and privacy concerns.  

People have begun to notice that the privacy policy and legal terms of FaceApp is a little ambiguous. And we all know ambiguity is how companies get away with things that are seemingly not within the scope of the law. 

 Everything you put on the internet lives forever.

Facing substantial blowback from it’s newly earned US audience, FaceApp has responded to privacy concerns stating that: 

• It collects metadata and information needed to identify the mobile device and provide better service 
• It doesn’t transfer data to Russia 
• Photos are stored in AWS and Google Cloud, not FaceApp’s servers 
• They don’t sell information to third parties 

And so forth.

How does this differ from any other mobile app’s privacy policy?

It doesn't. People just like making a fuss.

Instagram’s privacy policy says that they have full license to all the content you post on Instagram. They don’t own it, but as long as your content lives on the platform, they can use it cost-free for any purpose. They say you can avoid this by deleting the content. But if it’s shared within Instagram to other friends and accounts, the content lives on and can still be used by Instagram. 

It’s a lesson we all should know well by now. Everything you put on the internet lives forever. 

Also, it’s an all or nothing deal. If you don’t agree with the policies, then you don’t use the app. You agree to these policies, which can be changed at any time, simply by using the app. 

Further, most Gen-Z users are not reading through Data Protection and Privacy Policy pages before installing and using an app. 

And the point of all of this? It’s a chicken and egg issue that’s for sure. 

Data issues will always be a problem because people want personalization, better services, better tools. But they cry out when they feel their privacy has been violated. To provide personalization, a certain amount of data collection and optimization needs to occur. 

People complain about highly targeted ads. How many times have you talked about something and an advertisement for that product showed up on your Instagram feed? 

At the same time, people complain about irrelevant ads. How many times have you seen the Wix video ad on Youtube? 

You can’t satisfy everyone. There will always be people out there extremely concerned about data safety, and there will be those who would rather see themselves looking old and wrinkly.

The best thing an app can do is be transparent with their data collection and privacy policy and delete user data when a user requests it. 

#mobileapps #data #appmarketing

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