Is FACEAPP Allowing The Russians To Steal Your Identity? Or Worse?

Ok, people stop freaking out. More than likely Russia isn’t interested in the 37 selfies you took in your bathroom, or that picture of your prized bass you caught in Lake George, or even that cute picture of your grandchild. The age changing smartphone app “FACEAPP” has taken the world by storm and it seems like my Facebook feed is absolutely full of my friends that all look 80 years-old. It seems harmless….but is it?

Like most things in the internet someone brought up that this app has access to your photos and is mining your data. Then someone else posted that the company is located in Russia. Oh No! The Russki’s are out to steal our identity everyone panic! They are going to use our old man pictures to sneak into the country!

Everyone slow down a little.

Almost every app you download and use on your smartphone asked for access to data on your phone. On some, you can opt out, including FACEAPP. So if you’re really worried about it just opt out on access to your camera/pictures. One expert has said that the app only has access to the one picture that you select and not your entire library.

Wireless Lab, the developer of FACEAPP told technology news site TechCrunch that it may store users' photos in the cloud, but "most" are deleted after 48 hours. It said no user data is transferred to Russia. TechCrunch Article

So what happens to the photo’s that aren’t deleted after 48 hours. Well, like Free Beer and Hot Wings were talking about yesterday your picture might end up in an advertisement for some Russian hemorrhoid cream, not great, but hey you’ll be famous in Siberia.