Face Whaaaa?
FaceApp has been all over the news and social media forums today. Many are questioning how safe this app is. The fact that the company which created it is Russian has raised concerns. The fact that it employed neural networks has come up. Everyone knows the app uses pictures of your face and some wonder if a world-wide facial recognition database is being developed, or improved. It peaked my interest, so I decided to try and gather some information.
They say in their privacy policy that they âmay share User Content and your information (including but not limited to, information from cookies, log files, device identifiers, location data, and usage data) with businesses that are legally part of the same group of companies that FaceApp is part of, or that become part of that group.â So naturally I wanted to know what group of companies is FaceApp a part of? Who are the affiliate companies?Â
Well apparently FaceApp comes out of Wireless Lab, founded by Yaroslav Goncharov. Heâs a technician who has had some success in the field. His  mobile app company SPB Software was bought out by Yandex in a multi-million dollar deal. Yandex is a Russian corporation that does internet-related products and services. Only after working for Yandex for a few years did Goncharov leave and create Wireless Lab. So we know the man behind the app. Heâs smart, heâs successful, this is his domain. But the privacy policy mentions affiliate companies. Still on the hunt for who those are, I tried to find some information about Wireless Lab. I canât seem to find their website online. This surprised me because of Goncharovâs proven acumen with digital technology. If you guys know more about Wireless Lab, or who they work with, let me know.
Thereâs a lot of conversation in the media speculating about the safety of using this app. Iâm not here to cry wolf, or warn of Russian spies. While we know the country interfered in our election using social media, you donât have to look at this from only a political angle. The founder and developer doesnât seem to be Anti-American, but thatâs not all we have to worry about. I encourage you guys to read the privacy policy yourself. It has some interesting bits about how your data will be used, and what kind of data they choose to share with third-party organizations, and third-party advertising partners. No one is saying you should stop using the app, but you should know the scope of their collection of your information and how itâs used. That is the function of a document like a user agreement, so you can read and understand before you click âcontinueâ or âinstall.â
Tiffany C. Li, of the New York Times pointed out, âBacklash against facial recognition often centers on the source (too many cameras). But we also need controls on how companies and universities can use the face data, regardless of source.â For the average American, there are cameras capturing your face every day. Think of ATMs, the security cameras in places of business, public places, and of course iPhones. Social media is just a part of the bigger picture. Find out who is using what information of yours and what could potentially be done with it. As we have seen, advertising isnât the only way to use your data. Thereâs surveillance, political manipulation, tracking, and possibly some more unnerving ones. I urge you to arm yourselves with knowledge. Good luck, and go in peace.
