commonsensemedia

Published 15.08.2019 17:30

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FaceApp: AI Face Editor

A lot or a little?

Parents need to know that FaceApp is a photo app that lets users snap a selfie and manipulate it with a few key filters. There are only a few choices: You can make yourself older or younger, swap your gender, or add a smile. In addition to letting you take a photo, the app lets you select photos from any other app on your device for which you've enabled the camera. FaceApp caught some negative media attention in spring 2017 when another filter, called "Hot" and then "Spark," was introduced, intending to alter images to make them more attractive; users posted images online showing that this feature lightened dark skin and altered facial features to make them look more European. This feature has since been removed and isn't available at the time of this writing. In 2019 it's also has gotten a lot of attention around privacy concerns, including questions about uploading your picture to process off of your device, overriding your phone's permissions, and sharing data with third parties. Though there are valid privacy concerns when uploading photos to apps like this one, many privacy experts feel the concerns around this app's privacy aren't substantially different from other apps like it. You can read the developer's response to consumer concerns here. The app's free version includes ads along the bottom of the screen; the paid version removes the ads but has no additional features. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared, and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.