You know that app that all the celebrities have been using to make themselves and their friends look old? Turns out, it might just be taking your pictures and information for its own purposes.
I noticed a few weeks ago that everyone on my Instagram feed was using FaceApp to make themselves look thirty years older. It seemed like a funny trend to me, so I enjoyed the pictures and moved on with my life.
However, I recently saw an article exposing the app for taking peoples' information. The article explains that deep in the privacy policy of the app, it says that it can store your information and share it with any countries it affiliates with.
The article seemed like the perfect subject to make a blog post about, since we've been discussing technology and how it invades our privacy. It also seemed like a good opportunity to remind you to actually read the terms and conditions the next time you are about to enter your personal information somewhere.
- Annika Haibel
Extremely glad you brought this matter up. I agree, people should be more aware to the apps they download onto their mobile phone since there's a possibility that it may invade our privacy and can do extreme harm to it resulting the user with complications and conflicts. I feel like that many people now and then ignore the terms and conditions and that the creators are aware of that. Individuals only do this because they just are eager to use it as fast as possible. Our minds are so focused on trying the app that we forget to even care to read the terms and conditions. Though, the fact that famous stars use the app too, helps gain popularity and users since their favorite celebrity is using it. When we see that they are using it, we think "Wow! If their using it, that means it must be really cool and worth it." In this case, were fish while the app is the bait.
ReplyDeleteThis is honestly a great reminder about being internet-safe and actually knowing what you're doing. Humans are constantly active, never a period where we just sit down and do and think of nothing. And with newer phones somehow making things much more easier and convenient, of course here we come running right into it. Not to mention, social media, which is becoming only more and more popular for the younger generations, is a huge influencer to all of us, dare we admit it or not. So what does this all build up to? Well, basically we are screwed. We will never just not use the internet. There will always be dangers. The freedom granted on the web is quite powerful. If not me or you, someone else will fall prey to these things. My point is that sure, warnings do help, but we, as humans, are just so caught up in doing everything fast and rushing to try all these new things, that it is inevitable. We will always be at the clutches of losing our privacy and many other dangers
ReplyDeleteThis is actually very scary to think about. Information about you and videos and/or pictures can be stored without your permission. Its an invasion of privacy and it should be illegal. Even if the terms and conditions tell you they can be storing your information, that doesn't make it any less creepy.
ReplyDeleteThink of it this way- you are in your room, and there is a camera mounted on the wall. You didn't give anyone permission to put it there and you don't know what its there for or who is watching you. Just because you know its recording does not take away from the fact that someone is watching you without your permission.
-Kayla Abdur-Rahim
I'm glad you brought this matter up. My Instagram feed was also filled with pictures of people looking 30 years older. I had my laugh, but I was interested as to how they made themselves look older, so I did my research. I was shocked as to what popped up. I read a couple of articles and watched a couple of videos about this app. I didn't understand why anyone would download an app that can potentially invade their privacy, but then I remembered human nature. Personally, I wouldn't download an app that can invade my privacy, but what others do on their phones is on them. All we can do is make them aware of the dangers of downloading certain apps and what those apps have the capability to do.
ReplyDelete-Jasmine Sohal